DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62133#0227
QUEEN MARIE.
211
with a lottery, for the benefit of the old Landwehr, or
militia. It was announced also, that their majesties had
graciously condescended to attend, and that the whole court
would be there. I therefore felt a vast curiosity to go and
see all that was to be seen, and especially did I want to
have a good view of the young queen, of whom K. was
telling the other day the most beautiful things;—how that
she was the sweetest, gentlest, most amiable young
creature; quite a peasant girl in simplicity; the purest,
noblest being that was ever seated on a throne; a lovely
innocent flower, in the midst of the temptations and in-
trigues of a court;—how that being too good for a queen,
she was fitted only to be an angel, and that to see her with
her children was the most beautiful thing in the world.
After all this, was it wonderful that I longed to be in the
same room with this pure, lovely, queenly flower, and to see
her dancing, with all the joyousness of a peasant girl,
among her admiring people ?
No sooner was my determination taken than I set off
to Mrs. Amsel’s, to ask them if we could not go all
together, not into the gallery as before, when I had
watched Ida in all her glory, but into the ball-room, with
the rest of the company. They agreed immediately; no
time was to be lost, for the ball was that night, and the
first thing that was to be done, after securing tickets, was
to find out some officer who would attend us, for without
a uniform no party of ladies could be admitted. No black
coats were on this occasion admissible; nothing at all but
uniforms; either an officer of the army, or one of the
militia, must introduce us. However democratic any of us
might be, we did not particularly covet the escort of one
of the militia,—one’s confectioner, one’s draper, or one’s
butcher ; there was no fear, however, of our being reduced
to this extremity, for Mrs. Amsel and her daughters were
acquainted with hosts of officers; and Ida and Myra ran
211
with a lottery, for the benefit of the old Landwehr, or
militia. It was announced also, that their majesties had
graciously condescended to attend, and that the whole court
would be there. I therefore felt a vast curiosity to go and
see all that was to be seen, and especially did I want to
have a good view of the young queen, of whom K. was
telling the other day the most beautiful things;—how that
she was the sweetest, gentlest, most amiable young
creature; quite a peasant girl in simplicity; the purest,
noblest being that was ever seated on a throne; a lovely
innocent flower, in the midst of the temptations and in-
trigues of a court;—how that being too good for a queen,
she was fitted only to be an angel, and that to see her with
her children was the most beautiful thing in the world.
After all this, was it wonderful that I longed to be in the
same room with this pure, lovely, queenly flower, and to see
her dancing, with all the joyousness of a peasant girl,
among her admiring people ?
No sooner was my determination taken than I set off
to Mrs. Amsel’s, to ask them if we could not go all
together, not into the gallery as before, when I had
watched Ida in all her glory, but into the ball-room, with
the rest of the company. They agreed immediately; no
time was to be lost, for the ball was that night, and the
first thing that was to be done, after securing tickets, was
to find out some officer who would attend us, for without
a uniform no party of ladies could be admitted. No black
coats were on this occasion admissible; nothing at all but
uniforms; either an officer of the army, or one of the
militia, must introduce us. However democratic any of us
might be, we did not particularly covet the escort of one
of the militia,—one’s confectioner, one’s draper, or one’s
butcher ; there was no fear, however, of our being reduced
to this extremity, for Mrs. Amsel and her daughters were
acquainted with hosts of officers; and Ida and Myra ran