Feb 17 British Embassy, Berlin. Dearest Mother. We had a most exciting evening at the play yesterday. In the first place they gave the Second Part awfully well. I did not think it would be a bit interesting, instead of which it all seemed to fall together when they acted it and instead of being a set of disjointed scenes it was a real drama. By the time we came to Henry IV's death we were tremendously worked up and the 5th act was play in the most masterly way. The crowd in the coronation scene was a sight worth seeing - not a bit like the supers at the Lyceum. We were all sent for in the entr'acte - Florence and I had not expected to be prayed - and we had a very agreeable tea party with the Emperor and Empress and her sister, Princess Feodore of Saxe Meiningen. It was like an act out of another historical drama - but a modern one. A sheaf of telegrams were handed to the Emperor as we sat at tea. He and Uncle Frank fell into an excited conversation in low voices; we talked on to the the Empress trying to pretend we heard nothing but catching scraps of the Emperor's remarks "Crete [Kriti].. Bulgaria.. Servia mobilizing" and so forth. The Empress kept looking up at him anxiously - she is terribly perturbed about it all and no wonder for he is persuaded that we are all on the brink of war. When we came in we found 4 telegrams which all proved more or less interesting and Uncle Frank sent off a long cypher about his conversation with the Emperor.
This morning Florence and I went to a Joachim Probe. They played a quartett of Mendelssohn's quite deliciously and a great Beethoven quartett - do you know it, Op 132 - it needed a lot of knowing, I thought and far more intelligence that I could give it. But the Mendelssohn was heavenly. We have had a crowded Durbar. This evening we go to a Subscription Ball at the Opera. It will be very dull as I believe we mayn't dance, but the Emperor goes and we all have to.

Do you know they are giving John Gabriel tonight! I wish I were going to that.

Don't you suppose Mariana will run a second week? I should so like to see it. I could go on the 2nd or 3rd. Will you ask Grandmamma if she will be so very kind as to put me up those nights, and do consider whether it can't be managed that I should see Mariana.

Will you keep Nansen's book till I come home - I should so like to read it. If you have finished it you might send me a Vol. to 95 and I could read it on my way home. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude