, which was not particularly becoming to her red face. She
and Napoleon entered the building first; the Empress (who was in delicate
health) was carried in an open chair, with Prince Albert walking at her
side, a marvellously handsome couple to follow the two dowdy little
sovereigns who preceded them. The writer had by bribery succeeded in
getting places in an _entresol_ window under the archway, and was greatly
impressed to see those four great ones laughing and joking together over
Eugenie's trouble in getting her hoops into the narrow chair!

What changes have come to that laughing group! Two are dead, one dying
in exile and disgrace; and it would be hard to find in the two rheumatic
old ladies whom one sees pottering about the Riviera now, any trace of
those smiling wives. In France it is as if a tidal wave had swept over
Napoleon's court. Only the old palace stood severely back from the
Champs Elysees, as if guarding its souvenirs. The pick of the mason has
brought down the proud gateway which its imperial builder fondly imagined
was to last for ages. The Tuileries preceded it into oblivion. The
Alpha and Omega of that gorgeous pageant of the fifties vanished like a
mirage!

It is not here alone one finds Paris changing. A railway is being
brought along the quais with its depot at the Invalides. Another is to
find its terminus opposite the Louvre, where the picturesque ruin of the
Cour des Comptes has stood half-hidden by the trees since 1870. A line
of electric cars crosses the Rond Point, in spite of the opposition of
all the neighborhood, anxious to keep, at least that fine perspective
free from such desecration. And, last but not least, there is every
prospect of an immense system of elevated railways being inaugurated in
connection with the coming world's fair. The direction of this kind of
improvement is entirely in the hands of the Municipal Council, and that
body has become (here in Paris) extremely radical, not to say
communistic; and takes pleasure in annoying the inhabitants of the richer
quarters of the city, under pretext of improvements and facilities of
circulation.

It is easy to see how strong the feeling is against the aristocratic
class. Nor is it much to be wondered at! The aristocracy seem to try to
make themselves unpopular. They detest the republic, which has shorn
them of their splendor, and do everything in their power (socially and
diplomatically their power is still grea