, Place Royale_, and such
a union of _royal_ adjuncts was irresistible. Accordingly, we resolved upon
moving thither. In a trice our trunks were placed upon barrows: and we
marched behind, "in double quick time," in order to secure our property.
The town appeared to improve as we made our different turnings, and gained
upon our hotel. "Le voila, Messieurs"--exclaimed our guides and
baggage-conductors--as we got into a goodly square, and saw a fair and
comely mansion in front. The rush of landlord, waiting maids, and garcons
de place, encountered us as we entered. "Messieurs, je vous salue,"--said a
huge, ungracious looking figure:--which said figure was nothing less than
the master of the hotel--Mons. Lagouelle. We were shown into a small room
on the ground floor, to the right--and ordered tea; but had scarcely begun
to enjoy the crackling blaze of a plentiful wood fire, when the same
ungracious figure took his seat by the side of us ... to tell us "all about
THE DUEL."

I had heard (from an English gentleman in the packet boat from Havre to
Honfleur) something respecting this most extraordinary duel between a young
Englishman and a young Frenchman: but as I mean to reserve my _Caen budget_
for a distinct dispatch, and as I have yet hardly tarried twenty hours in
this place, I must bid you adieu; only adding that I dreamt, last night,
about some English antiquaries trying to bend the bow of William the
Conqueror!--Can this be surprising? Again farewell.

[92] Evelyn, who visited Havre in 1644, when the Duke de Richlieu was
governor, describes the citadel as "strong and regular, well stored
with artillery, &c. The works furnished with faire brass canon, having
a motto, "_Ratio ultima Regum_." The haven is very spacious." _Life
and Writings of John Evelyn_, edit. 1818, vol. i. p. 51. Havre seems
always to have been a place of note and distinction in more senses
than one. In Zeiller's _Topographia Galliae,_ (vol. iii.) there is a
view of it, about the period in which Evelyn saw it, by Jacques
Gomboust, Ingenieur du Roy, from which it appears to have been a very
considerable place. Forty-two principal buildings and places are
referred to in the directions; and among them we observe the
BOULEVARDS DE RICHELIEU.

[93] It was so in Evelyn's time: in 1644, "It is a poore fisher
towne (says he) remarkable for nothing so much as the odd yet usefull
habites which the good wom