ly ordered his
librarian to send the work to her apartment on the morning of the day
of the dinner; but, unfortunately, at the same time also commanded that
a copy of _Robinson Crusoe_ should be sent to a young lady, a
_protegee_ of hers, who resided in the hotel. The Baron Denon's work,
through mistake, was given to Mademoiselle, and _Robinson Crusoe_ was
delivered to the Princesse, who rapidly looked through its pages.

The seat of honour at table being assigned to the Baron, the Princesse,
mindful of her husband's wishes, had no sooner eaten her soup than,
smiling graciously, she thanked Denon for the pleasure which the
perusal of his work had afforded her. The author was pleased, and told
her how much he felt honoured; but judge of his astonishment, and the
dismay of the Prince Talleyrand, when the Princesse exclaimed. "Yes,
Monsieur le Baron, your work has delighted me; but I am longing to know
what has become of your poor man Friday, about whom I feel such an
interest?"

Denon used to recount this anecdote with great spirit, confessing at
the same time that his _amour propre_ as an author had been for a
moment flattered by the commendation, even of a person universally
known to be incompetent to pronounce on the merit of his book. The
Emperor Napoleon heard this story, and made Baron Denon repeat it to
him, laughing immoderately all the time, and frequently after he would,
when he saw Denon, inquire "how was poor Friday?"

When the second restoration of the Bourbons took place, the Prince
Talleyrand, anxious to separate from the Princesse, and to get her out
of his house, induced her, under the pretence that a change of air was
absolutely necessary for her health, to go to England for some months.
She had only been there a few weeks when a confidential friend at Paris
wrote to inform her that from certain rumours afloat it was quite clear
the Prince did not intend her to take up her abode again in his house,
and advised her to return without delay. The Princesse instantly
adopted this counsel, and arrived most unexpectedly in the Rue
St.-Florentin, to the alarm and astonishment of the whole establishment
there, who had been taught not to look for her entering the hotel any
more; and to the utter dismay of the Prince, who, however anxious to be
separated from her, dreaded a scene of violence still more than he
wished to be released from his conjugal chains.

She forced her admission to his presence, overwhelmed