Every time the Queen turned, Marquis Guiccioli (the Queen's chamberlain) bent down to the ground and arranged her train, spreading it out flat on the floor. When the Queen caught sight of me a smile of recognition passed over her face, and when she gave me her hand she said: "I am so glad to see you again, and so happy to know that we are going to have you in Rome. I've never forgotten your singing. Your voice is still ringing in my ears." I answered, "I have never forgotten your Majesty's kindness to me when I was here before." "I remember so well," she said, "how beautifully you and the Marquise Villamarina sang that duet from 'La Pavorita.' We shall have some music later, I hope," and she added, "The King was delighted with Monsieur de Hegermann." I said that Monsieur de Hegermann was very much flattered by the King's gracious manner when the King received him. On leaving me the Queen crossed the room, directing her steps toward the _doyen_ Ambassador. In the mean while the King came toward the ladies, passing rapidly from one to the other. He made quick work of us, as he did most of the talking himself, hardly ever waiting for an answer. He said to me, "The Queen tells me that you have been here before." "I have, your Majesty," I answered; "I was here five years ago and had the honor to be presented to you." "Really?" said the King. "I don't remember." "But I've known you longer even than that," I said. "How so?" asked the King, abruptly. "When your Majesty was in Paris in 1867." "That makes us very old friends," he said, smilingly. Finally, when their Majesties had finished the circle, they met at the end of the ball-room; every one made a _grande reverence_, and they bowed graciously in response and withdrew. We ladies, in walking out, allowed our _manteaux_ to trail behind us. We entered the room where refreshments were served, and crowded around the buffet, which groaned under the weight of all sorts of good things. We drank one another's health and Happy New Year in champagne. _January, 1881._ Dear Mother,--You would never believe that my official duties weigh as heavily on me as they do. I received a letter from the Marquise Villamarina, saying that "her Gracious Sovereign would be pleased to receive me on the seventh at three o'clock." Therefore, dressed in my best, I drove to the Quirinal. It is so near our palace that I had hardly entered the carriage before I had to get out of it. The gorgeously dressed and long-bearded _concierge_ who stood pompously at the entrance of the palace waved the carriage to the other end of the courtyard, and pounded his mace on the pavement in an authoritative manner.