was announced. I felt, “is it I or not?” Then, “Mr. and Mrs. Fox” were announced. And then, “_Diner est servi_.” I took in Madame D’Ankerswaerd. Escorted her to her seat and then went to the other side of the table where I was seated next to Baroness Wangenheim, a fine, good looking, typically aristocratic German--a charming conversationalist. She is W.’s second wife--he divorced his first. W. is a great personal friend of the Emperor. Sir Louis Mallet, the English Ambassador, sat on the other side of Baroness W. After dinner we smoked and drank coffee and talked to others than our table companions, while fifty or sixty others gathered for a dance. Such a sight! And to think that we are part of it--Young Princes, Barons, Sirs, and Americans from the Embassies, etc., and lots of Turks and Egyptians, etc. I shall never forget it. Helen sat right opposite me--between Baron Wangenheim, all be-decorated, and Colonel Djemal (Turk) in full uniform. I talked with Baroness Moncheur--we have struck up a nice friendship--with Marquis Pallavicini--Talaat Bey, and Miss Wangenheim, etc., etc., until about 12, when Wangenheim asked me to play bridge with him, a Turk, and a Greek banker--which I did until 1:30, when the dancing was over and they all went in for supper, etc. (I went home) and then they danced again until 2:30 or so. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I am not overstating when I repeat what I said in a previous letter--I am _very glad_ I came.
To-day--at 11--a call from the Bulgarian Minister. In the afternoon I finished my official calls on the Cabinet Ministers--called on Mahmoud Pasha of the Marine, Ibrahim Bey--Secretary of Justice, the Dutch Minister, and Mrs. McCauley (the wife of the commander of the _Scorpion_).
Mesdames Pallavicini, Bompard, Moncheur, Wangenheim, and Willebois are the popular and fine women here, and they are out of the ordinary--you will like all of them and they will like you. Pierre Loti is wrong, so far as this winter is concerned--we have had no cold weather. Yesterday and to-day were delightful--the thermometer has not been below 45°.
On the same day as the foregoing, my daughter Helen (Mrs. Fox) also wrote her mother a letter which adds new touches of colour to some of the scenes described in mine. She wrote as follows:
