Adam Badeau, Grant in peace: from Appomattox to Mount McGregor, a personal memoir

[286] General and the Princess followed the Queen, and the Prince Christian with the Princess Beatrice went next. Thus General Grant preceded the Queen's own daughter and her son-in-law; which was a distinct concession to him of rank equal to royalty, and as different as possible from the etiquette observed by the Prince of Wales. Mrs. Grant, however, did not receive the same recognition; two duchesses preceded her and she went in with a lord-in-waiting. Jesse was placed nearly at the tail. The idea seemed to be to give General Grant a place that should indicate extraordinary deference according to royal rules, but not to recognize his democratic family further than courtesy required. The Queen, however, was gracious to all, and the dinner passed pleasantly enough. At table General Grant was not placed next Her Majesty. She had Prince Leopold on one side of her and Prince Christian on the other; then the two Princesses. General Grant was next to the Princess Christian, which brought him below all the royal family and two places from the Queen. His conversation with Her Majesty was therefore not animated.

I went to dinner with the Household in another room. I remember that Sir John Cowell, Lady Ely, Lady Susan Melville, and others of the Queen's ladies and gentlemen were present. My companions were extremely affable, and I thought they seemed to wish to make up for my disappointment, so far as they could. Almost immediately after we rose Sir John disappeared, but came back at once and announced that I was to be taken in and presented to the Queen. I had gone through the forms of presentation at levees and drawing-rooms, but had never exchanged a word with Her Majesty.

She was standing with her dinner company at one end of a long gallery when I was led up to her. She bowed with extreme graciousness, and said immediately that she had to thank me for a book I had once sent her. This was the first