ing.

The dining-room was large and light, high, wide windows and beautiful
trees wherever one looked. The decoration of the room was rather
curious. The d'Y----s descend--like many Norman families--from William
the Conqueror, and there are English coats-of-arms on some of the
shields on the walls. A band which looks like fresco, but is really
painted on linen--very cleverly arranged with some composition which
makes it look like the wall--runs straight around the room with all
sorts of curious figures: soldiers, horses, and boats, copied exactly
from the famous Bayeux tapestries, the most striking episodes--the
departure of the Conqueror from Dives--the embarkation of his army (the
cavalry--most extraordinary long queerly shaped horses with faces like
people)--the death of Harold--the fighting Bishop Odo--brother of the
Conqueror, who couldn't carry a lance, but had a good stout stick which
apparently did good service as various Saxons were flying horizontally
through the air as he and his steed advanced; one wonders at the
imagination which could have produced such extraordinary figures, as
certainly no men or beasts, at any period of time, could have looked
like those. The ships were less striking--had rather more the semblance
of boats.

However, the effect, with all the bright colouring, is very good and
quite in harmony with this part of the country, where everything teems
with legends and traditions of the great Duke. They see Falaise, where
he was born, from their terrace, sometimes. We didn't, for though the
day was beautiful, there was a slight haze which made the far-off
landscapes only a blue line.

After breakfast we went for a walk in the park. They have arranged it
very well, with rustic bridges and seats wherever the view was
particularly fine. We saw a nice, old, red brick house, near the farm,
which was the manoir where the Dowager Countess lives now. She made over
the chateau to her son, in her life time, on condition that he would
keep it up and arrange it, which he has done very well. We made the
tour of the park--passing a pretty lodge with roses and creepers all
over it and "Mairie" put upon a sign; d'Y----is mayor of his little
village and finds it convenient to have the Mairie at his own gate. We
rested a little in the drawing-room before going back, and he showed us
various portraits and miniatures of his family which were most
interesting. Some of the miniatures are exactly like one we have