Part 20 (1/2)
From that place ent on to Sainte Marie aux Mines, acorridor between two lofty, ooded mountains, which even at noonday deprive it of sun Close by there is a shallow, rock-bound streamlet which divides Lorraine froed to the Prince Palatine of Birkenfeld This Prince offered us his castle of Reif Auvilliers, an uncommonly beautiful residence, which he had inherited from the Comtesse de Ribaupierre, his wife
This lady's father was just dead, and as, in accordance with German etiquette, the Count's funeral obsequies could not take place for a month, in the presence of all his relatives and friends, who careat distance, the corpse, embalmed and placed in a leaden coffin, lay in state under a canopy in the 's chamber looked on to the mortuary chapel, took upon the stoay the corpse in a cupboard
We knew nothing about this; and as the castle contained splendid roo and et the boredo looked in upon us every now and then, saying, in a low voice, ”Ah! if you only knehat I know!”
And then he would go off, laughing in his sleeve We did not get to know about this corpse until five or six days afterwards, ere a long way off, and the discovery greatly shocked us
The day we left Sainte Marie aux Mines, a little Ger It was the Prince de Mont-Beliard, of Wurte, whom I had previously e with Marechal de Chatillon's charhter The luxurious splendour of Saint Ger the heads of these Gere buff doublet with big copper-gilt buttons His cravat ithout either ribbons or lace His rather short hair was roughly coold buckles or clasps, he had little bows of red leather on his black velvet shoes His coach, entirely black, was still of old-fashi+oned ilt nails Wearingfor the Empress, his six horses were richly, caparisoned, his four lackeys wearing yellow liveries faced with red An escort of twenty guardsmen, dressed similarly, was in attendance; they seemed to be well e of prodigious size followed the ducal conveyance; in this were twelve ladies and gentle and Queen
The Prince de Mont-Beliard did not get into his coach again until ours were in motion He spoke French fairly well, and the little he said was said with race He looked very hard at
A little further on, their Majesties were greeted by the delegates of the noble chapter of Strasburg These comprised the Count of Manderhall and two canons What canons, too! And how astonished ere!
The old Count was dressed in a black cassock, and his hair looked soe fla hose of the saood-looking and well-old; they wore their hair long in wavy curls, and in their little black velvet caps they had yellow and black feathers, and their silver- courtiers Their equipment was far superior to that of the deputation of the Prince de Mont-Beliard It is true, they were churchmen, and churchmen have only themselves and their personal satisfaction to consider
These gentlemen accohbourhood, and here they introduced the bailiff of the town to the King, as to remain constantly in attendance and act as interpreter
The bailiff spoke French with surprising ease He had been formerly tutor at President Tambonneaux's, an extremely wealthy man, who entertained the Court, the town, and all the cleverestsoon became friends with the bailiff, and kept hi, the King is quite another ravity of demeanour, and likes to amuse his co hi a thousand questions Soave no reply
”Sire,” said he to his Majesty, ”your town of Paris has a greater reputation than it actually deserves They say you are fond of building; then Paris ought to have occasion to ren Allow me to express a hope that her principal streets will be widened, that her temples, most of them of real beauty, es, quays, public baths, al smiled ”Come and see us in four or five years,” he rejoined, ”or before that, if you like, and if your affairs permit you to do so
You will be pleased to see what I have already done”
Then the bailiff, approaching e , addressed a few complimentary remarks to myself
”I have often met your father, M de Mortemart,” said he, ”at President Tambonneaux's One day the little De Bouillons were there, quarrelling about his sword, and to the younger he said, 'You, sir, shall go into the Church, because you squint Let my sword alone; here's , ”M de Mortemart was a true prophet, for that little Bouillon fellow is to-day Cardinal de Bouillon”
”Sire,” continued the worthy Geruilain de Lauzun, of whom you used to be so fond when you were both boys,--where is he? What rank does he now hold?”
Hereupon the King looked at Madereatly confused, shed tears
”Well, M Bailiff,” said his Majesty, ”did you easily recognise ht?”
”Sire,” replied the Gernomy is precisely the same; when a boy, you looked -dress I saw you get into your coach; and that evening the President said to his wife, 'Mada I wish you could have been there, in one of the domes, just to hear the little he said to us'”
Whereupon the King laughingly inquired what reply the President's wifein his turn, seemed afraid to repeat it, and so his Majesty said: