"Shall we see both queens to-night at the ball?" Nina asked the Princess Sansevero.
"No; only Queen Elena. The Queen Mother has never been present at a ball since King Umberto's tragic death."
"I wish this evening were over," said Nina, with a half-frightened sigh.
The Contessa Olisco, who had caught the remark and the sigh, asked sympathetically, "But why?"
"I was nervous enough over going alone to the presentation the other afternoon, but to go to a ball is much worse."
"But you won't be alone. We shall be there! You may have your endurance put to the test, though. Are you very strong?"
Nina laughed. "You mean, have I the strength to stand indefinitely without dropping to the floor?"
"Ah! you know, then, how it is. Still—if it is hard for us, think what it must be for their Majesties. To-night, for instance, the King does not once sit down!"
Nina opened her eyes wide. "I thought the King and Queen sat on their throne. But then—I had an idea the presentation would be like that, too—and that I should have to courtesy all across a room, and back out again."
The Contessa Zoya seemed to be occupied with a reminiscence that amused her. "If you have a special audience, you do, or if you go to take tea. We had a private audience yesterday with Queen Margherita and—I had on a long train—and clinging. Of course, entering the room is not hard—I made my three reverences very nicely, very gracefully, I thought,—one at the door, one half-way across the room, and one directly before the Queen, as I kissed her hand. But when the audience was over, the distance between where her Majesty sat and the door of exit—my dear, it seemed leagues! One must back all the way and make three deep courtesies! The first was simple, the second, half-way across the room, was difficult. I was already standing on nearly a meter of train, and when I got to the door—well, I just walked all the way up the back of my dress, lost my balance and fell out!"