greeted with joyful acclamation; the delight of the
people was great and universal. Flags hung from all the windows on the
line of march. Cries of "Long live the King!" rose to the skies, and
were so loud and heartfelt that I was moved beyond anything I can say.
In the Duchess d'Angouleme's face was to be read in turn her pleasure
at such a welcome and the painful memories assailing her. Her smile
was sweet but sad--a most natural thing, because she was following the
road her mother had followed in going to execution, and she knew it.
However, the exultation evoked by the King's appearance and hers went
far to console that afflicted heart. The plaudits pursued them to the
Tuileries, where the crowds filling the gardens gave vent to the same
transports. They sang, they danced in front of the palace, and when
the King showed himself at the window of the large balcony and kissed
his hands over and over again to the people, their joy knew no bounds.
That evening there was a grand court reception at the Tuileries; an
immense number of women attended. The King spoke to them all most
graciously and to some of them even recalled various incidents
creditable to their families.

Possessed of an extreme desire to get a close view of Louis XVIII., I
mingled with the crowd that gathered on Sunday in the corridor to see
him go by on his way to mass. I was opposite the windows, with the
rest, so that the King could easily distinguish me. When he did, he
stepped over to me, gave me his hand in the most affable manner, and
said a thousand flattering things about the pleasure he felt in
meeting me once more. As he remained thus holding my hand for several
moments and addressing none of the other women, the onlookers must no
doubt have taken me for a very great lady, because, no sooner had the
King passed than a young officer, seeing that I was alone, offered me
his arm, and would not leave me until he had escorted me to my
carriage.

Most of the people who came back with our Princes were either friends
or acquaintances of mine. It was very sweet, after all those years of
exile, to meet again in the country of our birth. But, alas! This
happiness endured only a few months, for, while we were rejoicing at
our lot, Bonaparte was landing at Cannes. At midnight, on the 19th of
March, 1815, Louis XVIII. and the whole royal family left Paris.
Napoleon entered the next day, at eight of the evening, resuming
possession of the Tuileries, the tr