ing was left to the
citizens of the neighbourhood, and the marvellous banquet which had been
prepared by Bausset was likewise abandoned. Napoleon had no time to
think of dining.

All the roadside villages between Soissons and Compiegne were hung with
banners, and the populace appeared to be as highly excited as the
contracting parties. It still rained a deluge, but this made no
difference. Two couriers at full gallop came first to Compiegne, crying:
"Place": "Place": The eight white horses and the _berlin de voyage_
followed. Before one had hardly time to realize what was passing,
Napoleon and his bride whisked by in a twinkling.

At nine o'clock an outpost in the park at Compiegne announced the
arrival of the emperor and his train. At ten o'clock a cannon shot rang
out over the park and the emperor and empress passed into the chateau to
proceed with certain indispensable presentations; then to souper, a
_petite souper intime_, we are assured.

On the morrow all the world of the assembled court met the empress and
avowed that she had that specious _beaute du diable_ which has ever
pleased the French connoisseur of beautiful women. They went further,
however, and stated that in spite of this ravishing beauty she lacked
the elegance which should be the possession of an empress of the French.
The faithful Berthier silenced them with the obvious statement that
since she pleased the emperor there was nothing more to be said, or
thought.

Flying northward on the great highroad leading out from Paris to
Chantilly and Compiegne gadabout travellers have never a thought that
just beyond Pont Saint Maxence, almost in plain view from the doorway of
the Inn of the Lion d'Argent of that sleepy little town, is a gabled
wall which represents all that remains of the "Maison de Philippe de
Beaumanoir," called the Cour Basse.

THE END

INDEX

_Aiguillon_, Duchesse d', 217

_Alcuin_, 358

_Alexander_, Emperor, 221, 330, 349

_Alphonse XIII of Spain_, 7

Amboise, 26, 28, 86

_Amboise, Bussy d'_, 72

_Ancre, Marechal d'_, 67

_Andelot, Coligny d'_, 72-73

_Andilly, Arnauld d'_, 267

Anet, Chateau d', 29, 111

_Angennes, Jacques d'_, 44, 299, 311

Angers, Chateau d', 22

_Anglas, Boissy d'_, 114

_Angouleme, Duchesse d'_, 321

_Anjou, Ducs d'_, 22, 136, 212

_Anne of Austria_, 96-97, 136-137, 284-287, 289, 347

_Arc, Jeanne d'_, 345-346, 354

Ard