February 17th, 1873. Clear skies.

We left the house in the Rue de Presbourg at two o'clock in the afternoon and boarded a chartered train at the Gare du Nord to embark on our journey towards the north-east.

Located near the Belgian border, Mons is a populous town. At the station a general in full military attire was waiting for us at the head of a guard of honour. The men were dressed in the Belgian uniform of black with gold buttons and pointed hats. Crowds of men and women walled in the guards on either side, and a band struck up an air as we alighted from the train. Inside the station building we exchanged courtesies with the general and speeches were made before we boarded our train and set off once more. We reached Brussels, the capital of Belgium, at half past eleven at night. The government had provided our Embassy with the use of the Hotel Bellevue, which is situated to one side of the Palais-Royal, and bore the expense of our rooms, so that we only had to pay for our food and drink.

February 18th.

At one o'clock this afternoon two carriages from the royal household arrived, manned by footmen in scarlet and gold livery. With them was a troop of guards and a steward who came to escort us to the royal palace, where we were granted an audience with King Leopold II.