On the company’s return to London, at the close of the tour, the entire personnel were the guests at a formal dinner tendered to them by H. M. Government. The late Sir Stafford Cripps, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave the first toast to Fonteyn. Turning to her, Sir Stafford, in proposing the toast, said: “My dear lady, it has been brought to my attention that, in making your first entry into the American capital, you fell flat on your face.” The Chancellor paused for an instant as he eyed her in mock severity, then added: “I beg you not to take it too much to heart. It is not the first time, nor, I feel sure, will it be the last, when your countrymen will be obliged to assume that same prostrate position on entering that city.” To sum up my impressions of Fonteyn, the dancer, I should be [Illustration: _Angus McBean_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Frederick Ashton, Ninette de Valois, Leonide Massine] [Illustration: Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Beryl Grey as the Princess Aurora] [Illustration: _Baron_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Nadia Nerina in _Façade_] [Illustration: Roland Petit _Germaine Kanova_] [Illustration: _Roger Wood_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Margot Fonteyn and Alexander Grant in _Tiresias_] [Illustration: _Magnum_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: John Field and Violetta Elvin] [Illustration: _Baron_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: _Le Lac des Cygnes_--John Field and Beryl Grey] [Illustration: Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Last Act of _Le Lac des Cygnes_ _Baron_ ] [Illustration: _Magnum_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: _Giselle_--Robert Helpmann and Margot Fonteyn] [Illustration: _Baron_ Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet: Elaine Fifield as Swanilda in _Coppélia_] [Illustration: Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet: David Blair and Svetlana Beriosova in _Coppélia_ _Roger Wood_ ] [Illustration: _Baron_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: _A Wedding Bouquet_] [Illustration: Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Act I. _The Sleeping Beauty_--The Princess falls beneath the spell of Carabosse _Baron_ ] [Illustration: Agnes de Mille] [Illustration: John Lanchbery, Conductor, Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet _Denis de Marney_ ] [Illustration: John Hollingsworth, Conductor, Sadler’s Wells Ballet _Maurice Seymour_ ] [Illustration: Robert Irving, Musical Director, Sadler’s Wells Ballet _Baron_ ] [Illustration: The Sadler’s Wells production of _The Sleeping Beauty_: Puss-in-Boots] [Illustration: Robert Helpmann as the Rake in _The Rake’s Progress_ _Baron_ ] [Illustration: Sadler’s Wells Ballet: Rowena Jackson as Odile in _Le Lac des Cygnes_ _Derek Allen_ ] [Illustration: Colette Marchand _Lido_] [Illustration: _Baron_ Moira Shearer] [Illustration: Moira Shearer and Daughter _Central Press Photo_ ] [Illustration: _Baron_ Sadler’s Wells Ballet: _Symphonic Variations_--Moira Shearer, Margot Fonteyn, Michael Somes, Pamela May _Baron_ ] [Illustration: Sadler’s Wells Ballet: America is closer: loading at Port of London]