The king! resounded on all sides; and in another moment the large folding-doors at the end of the saal were thrown open, and the music struck up the national anthem of Bavaria.
His majesty entered, accompanied by the queen, his brother, two or three archduchesses, and a long suite of officers.
I could not help remarking upon the singular good taste with which the assembly—all anxious and eager to catch a glimpse of his majesty—behaved on this occasion. There was no pressing forward to the "estrade" where he stood,—no vulgar curiosity evinced by any one, but the group continued, as before, to gather and scatter. The only difference being, that the velvet chair and cushion, which had attracted some observers before, were, now that they were tenanted by royalty, passed with a deep and respectful salutation. How proper this, thought I, and what an inducement for a monarch to come among his people, who remember to receive him with such true politeness. While these thoughts were passing through my mind, as I was leaning against a pillar that supported the gallery of the orchestra, a gentleman whose dress, covered with gold and embroidery, bespoke him as belonging to the court, eyed me aside with his lorgnette and then passed rapidly on. A quadrille was now forming near me, and I was watching, with some interest, the proceeding, when the same figure that I remarked before, approached me, bowing deeply at every step, and shaking a very halo of powder from his hair at each reverence.
"May I take the liberty of introducing myself to you?" said he.—"Le Comte Benningsen." Here he bowed again, and I returned the obeisance still deeper. "Regretted much that I was not fortunate enough to make your acquaintance this evening, when I called upon you."
"Never heard of that," said I to myself.
"Your excellency arrived this evening?"
"Yes," said I, "only a few hours since."
"How fond these Germans are of titles," thought I. Remembering that in Vienna every one is "his grace," I thought it might be Bavarian politeness to call every one his excellency.
"You have not been presented, I believe?"
"No," said I; "but I hope to take an early opportunity of paying 'mes homages' to his majesty."