he windows of the outhouses on the right had been broken, and were
mended with paper. I entered by the door on the perron. Three servants
in black coats received me; one opened the door, another took my mantle,
the third said: "Monsieur, on the first floor!" I ascended the grand
staircase. There were a carpet and flowers on it, but that chilly and
unsettled air about it peculiar to places into which one is moving.

On the first floor an usher asked:

"Monsieur has come to dinner?"

"Yes," I said. "Are they at table?"

"Yes, Monsieur."

"In that case, I am off."

"But, Monsieur," exclaimed the usher, "nearly everybody arrived after
the dinner had begun; go in. Monsieur is expected."

I remarked this military and imperial punctuality, which used to be
customary with Napoleon. With the Emperor 7 o'clock meant 7 o'clock.

I crossed the ante-chamber, then a salon, and entered the dining-room.
It was a square room wainscotted in the Empire style with white wood.
On the walls were engravings and pictures of very poor selection, among
them "Mary Stuart listening to Rizzio," by the painter Ducis. Around the
room was a sideboard. In the middle was a long table with rounded ends
at which about fifteen guests were seated. One end of the table, that
furthest from the entrance, was raised, and here the President of the
Republic was seated between two women, the Marquise de Hallays-Coetquen,
nee Princess de Chimay (Tallien) being on his right, and Mme. Conti,
mother of the Representative, on his left.

The President rose when I entered. I went up to him. We grasped each
other's hand.

"I have improvised this dinner," he said. "I invited only a few dear
friends, and I hoped that I could comprise you among them. I thank you
for coming. You have come to me, as I went to you, simply. I thank you."

He again grasped my hand. Prince de la Moskowa, who was next to General
Changarnier, made room for me beside him, and I seated myself at the
table. I ate quickly, for the President had interrupted the dinner
to enable me to catch up with the company. The second course had been
reached.

Opposite to me was General Rulhieres, an ex-peer, the Representative
Conti and Lucien Murat. The other guests were unknown to me. Among them
was a young major of cavalry, decorated with the Legion of Honour. This
major alone was in uniform; the others wore evening dress. The Prince
had a rosette of the Legion of Honour in his buttonhole.

Everybo