An officer in the Wad Ras Regiment, who was close to the carriage, told me that he can hardly bear to speak of it even now. The gaily-decorated street was suddenly transformed into the fearful scene of a battle-field. The cries of the dying and the sight of the killed sent many people out of their minds. With the calm courage of a soldier’s daughter, Queen Victoria neither swooned nor went into hysterics; but the shock went deep into her soul, and she naturally fears a repetition of the horror when she is in the city. The people, therefore, are a little disappointed at their greetings not meeting with the quick response of the first days in her new land; and as Spaniards would do anything for a smile, and love to see happiness, this inborn terror, begotten of the tragedy of her wedding-morn, would form a barrier between the English Queen and her people, were they not reminded of the source of the set expression on her face. In La Granja this is different. The freedom of the country life gives scope again for our Princess’s smiles, and the beautiful gardens and the charm of the palace seem far removed from the tragedy of the city. “Oh, how we adore her when she is like that!” said the simple-hearted, sympathetic Spaniards, as they saw the eager, guileless way the Queen showed her young cousin, Princess Beatrice of Coburg, her lovely country residence; and after she had passed up the fine staircase of the palace, lined by the halberdiers sounding their drum tattoos of welcome, she appeared at one of the windows to smile on the soldiers as they saluted her in their parade past the palace. [Illustration: PRINCE FERDINAND OF BAVARIA, BROTHER-IN-LAW OF ALFONSO XIII.] Bouquets are naturally, of course, still looked upon with suspicion at the Spanish Court. When Miss Janotha, the celebrated pianist, wished to leave a beautiful bouquet at the palace as an offering to Princess Henry of Battenberg, when she was in Madrid, the lackey looked at it askance, saying: “We are not to take bouquets.” Miss Janotha looked regretful, and I was very glad when a superior official stepped forward and said: “We do not take bouquets, but as it comes with the English lady we know here, it is all right.” This confidence I acknowledged gratefully; the Polish pianist was pleased, and the bouquet was taken. “The Queen is always her bright, merry self on the yacht,” said a distinguished naval officer, when speaking of the shock of the bomb to the young Queen. “She sings, and is as happy as the day is long, for there is no fear of such tragedies on board ship.”