New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-15
Spanish Court Etiquette.

Spanish Court Etiquette.
Maunsel B. Fields was sent to Madrid
with important dispatches during the time
of Pierre SOule's mission to that court. He
thus describes an interview with Isabella
H.:
The palace at Madrid is situated at one
extremity of the city, and directly over the
Manzanares. 1t is very elegant structure,
but only One-eighth the size OF the building
originally projected. No finer apartment
than the throne room is to be found in any
palace in Europe.
We moved up slowly to the further ex.
tremity of the ambassadOrs waiting room,
and stationed ourselves to the right of the
closed door. Opposite to us stood about a
dozen of the highest grandees in Spain.
headed by the diminutive Duke of Medini
Cell, all in gorgeous array, blazing with
stars and orders. They had just come from
ment's hesitation the little nObleman above
named crossed over with solemn delib-
Grafton, and, facing Mr.. Soule, bowed
nearly to the ground with overpOwer.
ing gravity. He then turned to me and
saluted me with less formality. All the
others in turn went through the same per-
formance. Presently there advanced to,
ward us brisk, fdgety parsonage with
gray hair. He proved to be the Intro
Queer of ambassadors" or, as he would be
elsewhere called, the chamberlain. Tap
ping gold snuff box, he opened the lid and
offered a pinch to my Chief behind whom l
was standing a step or two. Il am glad to
see you we'll, Mr.. Soule," he commenced,
presenting his hand. ''YOur audience is, /
think, set down for seven o'clock, and be-
lieve her majesty is ready to receive you"
While he said this his eyes kept wander
ing from Mr.. Soule to mo, and he scanned
me from head to foot.
After moments pause, he resumed:
But, Mr. Ssule, you assuredly do not ex-
pect this gentleman to accompany you"
swered Mr.. Soule. This gentleman is
secretary of the United States legation at
Paris" II was only so, as have explained,
y' Interim. "He has come to me with very
important dispatches, and for the present is
attached to my legation. There are very
peculiar reasons why am anxious that he
should see her majesty on this OCCASION
lit is quite impossible, my dear sir-quite
impossible. There are two insuperable OBJ
jections. In the first place, no audience has
been requested for him; and, in the next
place, he is not in uniform. 1t is only the
other day that the French ambassador
wished to present a gentleman connected
with the diplomacy of his country, who was
in uniform. but for whom an audience had
not been asked. and he was not allowed to
do So"
Nothing" answered Mr.. Soule, "would
be farther from my wish than to violate the
etiquette of her majesty's court upon a
trifing pretext. This gentleman is not in
haste, and brought none with him. As
have already said, have special motives
for wishing him to see the Queen, and,
under the circumstances, l must request
you to take her majesty's personal CON-
mands upon this subject"
There was no answering this; so the I'm.
fortunate chamberlain bowed with a rueful
countenance, and went to refer the matter
to the tribunal of last resort.
As soon as the door closed upon him Mr..
Soule took my arm, and we slowly paced up
and down the room. at is all right now,"
he whispered to me, 1.-THE Queen is the best
natured person in the world, and am sure
that she will not turn you away"
AS we entered by this door Isabella II.
entered by another door from the diagonal
corner. The movement seemed to be
simultaneous one. | was a little behind
Mr.. Soule, to the right. The instant he
perceived the Queen he bowed to the floor,
and followed his example, as he had in
same instant down came her majesty in
the way that school girls call ''making a
cheese One step with each foot, and the
ceremony was repeated on both sides.
And SO on some six or seven times,
until we met at a marble table in the CEN
tire Of the room. MIR. Soule. holding the
Presidents letter in his hand, then COM
menced in a low tone very fluent and ele-
giant little speech in French, at the con-
clusion of which he laid the letter upon the
table. While this was going on the Queen
stood with her right hand resting on the
table, and with look that plainly indi-
Gated that she considered such business
bore. had an ample opportunity to take
mental notes of her appearance. If my i'm.
pressions were not tiatterlng, they were at
least unprecedented. and must sacrifice
gallantry to truth.
1.-The Innocent Isabel as she was styled
in her youth, is considerably above the
average stature of her sex, and of ample d.
every way. Her forehead is low,
and her nose and chin Enthusiastically Bour-
bon. She wore black dress very decoUete,
and the charms which it partly concealed
were evidently of ponderOus proportions
Upon her hands, which are very large, and
which looked swollen, she wore lace mitts,
lOt gloves, leaving the fingers bare. Her
whole skin was red, and had the appear
ance of being affected by some cutaneous
disorder, which, l have understood, is the
'ase. / certainly did not fall in love with
Ter at first sight. ! have heard others de-
lare her handsome; but there is nothing
bout which there is a greater difference of
opinion than female beauty.