were of heavy red velvet with the Napoleonic eagle in gold, fell in great
folds down to the floor.

It was not long before the doors were thrown open, and every one who had
been limp and lax while waiting, chatting with his neighbor, straightened
himself up and bowed to the ground, as the Emperor and the Empress walked
in. Their Majesties stood for a moment at the door, and then went
immediately to the throne.

A few moments later the _quadrille d'honneur_ was danced by the eight
most princely of the guests. The Emperor danced with the Princess of
Wales, who has the prettiest and sweetest face one can imagine. The
Empress danced with the King of Saxony; the Prince of Wales with the
Princess Mathilde, cousin of the Emperor; the Grand Duke of Russia with
the Princess Clothilde.

Every one stood during the whole quadrille. After that was finished their
Majesties circulated among us, talking to different people. Later on the
Empress, when she had returned to the throne, sent a message to me by
Prince Murat, that she wished me to come to her.

I was frightened to death to have to cross the ballroom, feeling as if all
eyes were on me, and tripped along so quickly that Prince Murat, at my
side, said, "Don't hurry so; I can't keep up with you."

While I stood before the steps of the throne the Empress came toward me,
and with her exquisite smile, and with the peculiar charm she has when
speaking, said, "I am so glad to see you here, Madame Moulton." "And I am
so glad to be here, your Majesty; but I went through all the preliminary
steps all the same," I said, "because _ma belle-mere_ insisted upon it."