The princess is really and truly the sweetest woman I know. Was there a moment's hesitation? Colonel Butler brought them in, one after another, announced the names, herded them out again, brought in more. Arthur hunted them upstairs to his bedroom as they came out, so that there should be a little room on the stairs... And, when she came out--this presentation was really a very clever stroke on Colonel Butler's part to give her an excuse for leaving--, there was a word and a smile for every one--praising the girls' dresses, saying she hoped that all the young people would have a _very_ pleasant time. Graciousness like that cannot be _learned_, but perhaps a certain dignity can. To do these girls justice, they behaved quite admirably; no familiarity, no nervousness--to the outward eye. I hope for their sakes that, when they compared their own "shoes and shoulder-straps" with what was thought fitting to be worn by another generation, trained in a different school, the lesson was not altogether thrown away... I did not suppose that Colonel Butler _seriously_ intended that I should improvize a dance at a moment's notice, but I had misjudged my man. He had given his word, he said, and, if he broke it, there might be an unpleasant scene; if, however, I would back him up, he would "see me through" again. Almost before the princess was out of the house, one section was rolling back the rug in the drawing-room and disposing of the furniture. Arthur, with his coat off and his shirt-sleeves rolled up, was dashing down to the cellar and up again, bringing wine that literally cannot be replaced; and, to judge from next day's accounts, it must have been Colonel Butler himself who won over my rather unyielding cook. He has a gift of _silver_ speech; the superior young man at the piano, who always left all arrangements of terms to his _agent_, if you please, sat with a bottle of champagne and a plate of sandwiches playing till _four o'clock_... The relief was so great that I really quite lost my head. Colonel Butler asked me for the first dance--quite charmingly. "Your manners are better than your judgement of age," I said. "I have not danced for thirty years." "But it's quite simple," he explained. "Walk round the room in time with the music, turn when you feel inclined and add any frills you like when we've got into each other's step." And I _did_...