She had donned her fête dress for our reception, and presented a very
picturesque appearance, as she stood smiling and bustling about at the
door. She wore a high cap reminding me of those of the women in
Normandy: brown stays; linsey-woolsey, voluminous petticoats;
handkerchief and apron trimmed with rich old-fashioned lace; and long
gold ear-rings, and chain of the same material, twisted at least ten
times round her neck.

She explained to us, in a _patois_ not easily understood, that her
house was only frequented by the farmers, and their wives and
daughters, who attended the fetes, or occasionally by a stray traveller
who came to explore the antiquities.

Before I had travelled much on the Continent, I confess that the
appearance of this dwelling would have rather startled me as a _séjour_
for two days, but now I can relish its rusticity; for cleanliness, that
most indispensable of all requisites to comfort, is not wanting.

The furniture is scrubbed into brightness, the small diamond-shaped
panes of the old-fashioned casements are clean as hands can make them;
the large antique fireplace is filled with fresh flowers; and the
walnut-tree tables are covered with white napkins.

No sooner had we performed our ablutions, and changed our travelling
dresses for others, than our good hostess, aided by three active young
country maidens, served up a plentiful dinner, consisting of an
excellent _pot-au-feu_, followed by fish, fowl, and flesh, sufficient
to satisfy the hunger of at least four times the number of our party.

Having covered the table until it literally "groaned with the weight of