They said they should see more than if, like us, they formed part of
the pageant; but I believe the real reason was, that if they had one
early to Queen Henrietta's apartments in full dress, they must have
missed their English prayers at the Ambassador's, which they never
chose to do on a Sunday.
The choir part of the nave was filled with tribunes for the royal
family and their suites; and as the most exalted in rank went the
last, Mademoiselle, and we ladies behind her, came to our places
early enough to see a great deal of the rest of the procession. The
whole choir was already a field of clergy and choristers, the white
robes of the latter giving relief to the richly-embroidered purple
and lace-covered robes of the Bishops, who wore their gold and
jeweled mitres, while their richly-gilded pastoral staves and crosses
were borne before them. The Coadjutor of Paris, who was to be the
Celebrant, was already by the Altar, his robes absolutely encrusted
with gold; and just after we had taken our places there passed up the
Cardinal, with his pillars borne before him, in his scarlet hat and
his robes.
Every lady was, according to the Spanish fashion, which Queen Anne
had introduced, in black or in white--the demoiselles in white, the
married in black--and all with the black lace veil on their heads.
The French ladies had murmured much at this, but there is no denying
that the general effect was much better for the long lines of black
above and white below, and as there was no restriction upon their
jewellery, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds flashed wherever the light
fell on them.
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