"I should think,
Angela," said Mrs. Younge, "that Monsieur Cure would continue it to more
advantage in the coach. The gentleman has informed me," continued she,
addressing herself to Mr. Younge, "that he has some business at
Chartres; and thinking it would add much to our general pleasure, I have
invited him to take the spare seat in our carriage." Mr. Younge could do
no less than second this invitation, and our party was thus reinforced
by the addition of a little gossiping French Cure.

Monsieur Guygny, the name of this gentleman, was not however so much a
Cure, as to be deficient in gallantry to the ladies, and Mademoiselle
St. Sillery, as I thought, seemed to consider him as a valuable
acquisition to our travelling suite; she re-ascended the coach with
increased spirit, and the good Cure followed with true French agility.
Thus is it with French manners. Upon inquiry from Mr. Younge I learnt,
that not one of the party had ever seen or heard of Monsieur Guygny
before they had now met at Rambouillet.

I felt some curiosity as to the interrupted narrative, even in despite
of the evident frivolity of the narrator. The arrangement of the party
in the coach compelled me to hear it at second hand, and I found it less
frivolous than I had anticipated: it was an amour between the King and a
peasant's daughter, in which the King conducted himself in a manner as
little excusable in a monarch, as in a more humble individual. The amour
was at length discovered by the pregnancy of the unfortunate girl, who
believed herself married to the King in the character of an officer of
his suite, and who, upon discovering the deception, died of shame and
grief. Her tomb is said to be still extant, and to be distinguished by a
fleur de lys impressed on it by command of the King. The story is said
to be well founded: be this as it may, our ladies seemed to have
received it as gospel.

We readied Chartres by sunset. Nothing could be more delightful than the
approach to the town, which is situated upon the knoll of an hill, the
houses intermixed with trees, and the wetting sun gilding the spires of
the churches and convent. The town is divided into two parts by a small
river; the further part was situated upon the ascent, the other part
upon the banks of the river. On each side of the town are hills, covered
with woods, from the midst of which were visible the gilded spires of
convents and churches, whilst the intervening plains were covered