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. The Saturday evening post. s certain officers were withthe guard each day. He did not want to leave his regi-mental service, so it looked as though we would beobliged to wait for years before I should have theright of being presented to the two Empresses, whichwas the first step to court existence. Meeting the Empresses IN THE lives of several women this had been a handi-cap duri ng all their youth; but I was more fortunate,and almost at once the difficulty was cleared awayfrom my path. First, at a small ball at the palace ofthe Grand Duke Wladimir, the Grand Duchess Marie,our hostess, came
. The Saturday evening post. s certain officers were withthe guard each day. He did not want to leave his regi-mental service, so it looked as though we would beobliged to wait for years before I should have theright of being presented to the two Empresses, whichwas the first step to court existence. Meeting the Empresses IN THE lives of several women this had been a handi-cap duri ng all their youth; but I was more fortunate,and almost at once the difficulty was cleared awayfrom my path. First, at a small ball at the palace ofthe Grand Duke Wladimir, the Grand Duchess Marie,our hostess, came and took me by the hand, saying:Come, Joy, I have been talking to the Empress ofyou and she says I may present you to her; so Iwas taken up to where the young Empress stood, andthe grand duchess said a few kindly words and pushedme forward into the little empty space kept clear;il)Oiit. the Sovereign. The latter was exceedinglyquiet and timid. After two or three perfunctoryquestions, which I answered, she fell into her usual. A Birthday Party at the Grand Duke Wladlmlrs, Who Is Seated Center, Front Row. Jit His Right Princess Obolensky; Behind Her,Standing, the Grand Dake Kyrlt; Princess Cantacuzene at the Grand Dukes Left; at the Extreme Right In Profile, Prince Cantacuzene attitude of distraction, and I wandered off. However, Ihad actually talked with Her Majesty, which made every-one say that I was obliged to ask a formal audience ac-cording to court rules, not only of the Empresses, but ofall the grand duchesses as well. Once one had curtsied to
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