g, with handsome panels of dark carved wood. It seemed a
pity to leave them there, and almost a pity, that the Florians could not
have made their home in such a lovely green spot, but they would have
been obliged to add to the house enormously, and it would have
complicated their lives, being so far away from everything.

[Illustration: Old gate-way. Valogues.]

... We have had a last walk and flanerie this morning. We went to the
Hospice, formerly a Benedictine convent, where there is a fine gate-way
and court-yard with most extraordinary carving over the doors and
gate--monstrous heads and beasts and emblems alongside of cherubs and
beautiful saints and angels. One wonders what ideas those old artists
had; it seems now such distorted imagination. We walked through some of
the oldest streets and past what had been fine hotels, but they are
quite uninhabited now. Sometimes a bric-a-brac shop on the ground-floor,
and some sort of society on the upper story, but they are all neglected
and half tumbling down. There is still splendid carving on some of the
old gate-ways and cornices, but bits of stone and plaster are falling
off, grass is growing between the paving stones of the court-yards, and
there is an air of poverty and neglect which is a curious contrast to
the prosperous look of the country all around--all the little farms and
villages look so thriving. The people are smiling and well fed; their
animals, too--horses, cows, donkeys--all in good condition.

I have played my last game of dominoes in this fine old hotel and had my
last cup of tea in the stiff, stately garden, with the delicious salt
sea-breeze always coming at four o'clock, and the cathedral chimes
sounding high and clear over our heads. I leave to-morrow night for
London, via Cherbourg and Southampton.

X

NORMAN CHATEAUX

We never remained all summer at our place. August was a disagreeable
month there--the woods were full of horse-flies which made riding
impossible. No nets could keep them off the horses who were almost
maddened by the sting. They were so persistent that we had to take them
off with a sharp stick. They stuck like leeches. We generally went to
the sea--almost always to the Norman Coast--establishing ourselves in a
villa--sometimes at Deauville, sometimes at Villers, and making
excursions all over the country.

Some of the old Norman chateaux are charming, particularly those which
have remained just as they were before t