The Emperor speaks French and English with equal ease, but he likes best to speak English. He can be very lively at times, and then the next moment just as serious again. While talking to you he never takes his eyes off your face. He is seemingly all attention. Sometimes when the diplomatic ladies stand side by side he glances to the next lady, evidently making up his mind about what he will talk with her. His voice is singularly clear, and what he says is straight to the point. He has the rare gift of making the person to whom he is talking appear at his very best. The life in Potsdam is, I have been told, very home-like and cozy. The Emperor often spends the evening reading aloud, while the Empress sits near with her knitting. They love to be in the Neues Palais and stay there until after Christmas. Their Christmas festivities must be worth seeing. Each prince has a Christmas tree and a table of his own, makes his own choice of presents, and ties up his own packages--as it were--and lights the Christmas candles. These festivals are held in the mussel-room, on the ground floor, original if not pretty--a combination of shells, mother-of-pearl, and glass stone, which must be very effective in the brilliantly lighted room. The Empress is very fond of riding, but often drives a little pony-carriage with two English "high-steppers." Once when the Shah of Persia was spending the day at Potsdam the Empress offered to take him out for a drive in the park. Half-way to their destination the lively pace of the horses alarmed the Shah. He put his hand over hers, which held the reins, and said in his pigeon-French, "_Vous-mourir seule_" and got out and walked back. The Emperor said to me, "Do you know Mr. Carnegie?" I said that I did not. "He is a clever gentleman," continued the Emperor. "Can you guess what he said to me?" I shook my head. The Emperor then quoted Mr. Carnegie: "You and Mr. Roosevelt would make a nice tandem." "That shows tact and discrimination," I remarked. The Emperor laughed. "I asked him which he thought would be the wheel-horse?" "What did he answer to that?" said I. "I am afraid Mr. Carnegie did not find anything to answer just then. He has not your talent for repartee." "In this case," I assured his Majesty, "I should not have answered at all, for I have no idea what a wheel-horse is. If it is the horse which makes all the wheels turn, then it must be your Majesty." "You see!" said the Emperor, shaking his finger and laughing.