Lord Lyons replied, "I think Monsieur Dué must be mistaken, for the Duke is out there in the corridor making all this [I am sure it was on his lips to say "devil of a row," but he politely said] noise."
Monsieur Dué then remarked, "Did I not hear you say that he was half way across the channel?"
"I certainly did not say that. What I did say was that he was 'half-seas over' which is a slang expression we use in England instead of saying tipsy, or dans les vignes du Seigneur, so prettily put by the French."
The King laughed very much at this quid pro quo and, looking at Monsieur
Dué, said, "I thought your English more up to the mark."
The King was immediately fired with a desire to see the famous Duke who had dared to cross the channel in a balloon rather than run the risk of being shut up in prison, and we all waited with impatience to see whether Lord Lyons's persuasive powers went so far as getting the Duke to show himself. Well, they did, and both the gentlemen came into the salon. The Duke bowed low and did not lose his balance. In fact, for a man half-seas over, I thought he looked as if he could get to the end of his journey without disgrace. He said, very politely, "I am afraid I have disturbed you, but this is the salon which has always been put aside for me every night, and I was surprised to learn that it was occupied."
The Duke is, or rather would have been, a very handsome man if he had not such watery eyes and such a weak mouth; and then he wore the funniest- looking wig I ever saw. It was made out of black (the blackest) sewing- silk and plastered down over his ears. I wonder if it was a disguise, or if he thought any one would ever really take it for his own hair.
The King was very nice to him, and did not seem in the least to mind his being dans les vignes. I fancy, from what Monsieur Dué said, that in Sweden people are used to see their friends always in Seigneurial vineyards—they never see them anywhere else! But he exaggerates, no doubt.
The King said to the Duke of Brunswick, "Will you not sup with us to- night?"
"I thank your Majesty, but I must crave permission to return, for I have some ladies supping with me, including the Cupidon of to-night."
"Tell her," said the King, "if she wears such high heels she will come to grief."