some sort of instinct, we rose too (perhaps to see what was going on), just as the princes passed. Princess Marguerite looked charming, dressed in white, with her splendid pearls and beautiful fair hair. When it was decided that we should ask the Orléans princes to our party, I thought I would go to see the Duc Décazes, the foreign minister, a charming man and charming colleague, to get some precise information about my part of the entertainment. He couldn't think what I wanted when I invaded his cabinet, and was much amused when I stated my case. "There is nothing unusual in receiving the princes at a ministry. You must do as you have always done." "But that is just the question, I have _never done_. I have never in my life exchanged a word with a royal personage." "It is not possible!" "It is absolutely true; I have never lived anywhere where there was a court." When he saw that I was in earnest he was as nice as possible, told me _exactly_ what I wanted to know,--that I need not say "Altesse royale" every time I spoke, merely occasionally, as they all like it,--that I must speak in the third person, "Madame veut-elle," "Monseigneur veut-il me permettre," etc., also that I must always be at the door when a princess arrived and conduct her myself to her seat. "But if I am at one end of the long enfilade of rooms taking the Comtesse de Paris to her seat and another princess (Joinville or Chartres) should arrive; what has to be done?" "Your husband must always be at the door with his chef de cabinet, who will replace him while he takes the princess to her place."