covers for the billiard-table, bed, etc. It quite recalled what one
had always read of feudal France, when the seigneur would be off with
his retainers hunting or fighting, and the châtelaine, left alone in
the château, spent her time in her "bower" surrounded by her maidens,
all working at the wonderful tapestries one sees still in some of the
old churches and convents. I was never much given to work, but I made
a mental resolve that I, too, would set up a frame in one of the
drawing-rooms at home, and had visions of yards of pale-blue satin,
all covered with wonderful flowers and animals, unrolling themselves
under my skilful fingers--but I must confess that it remained a
vision. I never got further than little crochet petticoats, which
clothed every child in the village. To make the picture complete
there should have been a page in velvet cap and doublet, stretched on
the floor at the feet of his mistress, trying to distract her with
songs and ballads. The master of the house, M. M., was there, having
come in from shooting. He had been reading aloud to the
ladies--Alfred de Musset, I think. That part of the picture I could
never realize, as there is nothing W. loathes like reading aloud
except, perhaps, being read to.

They were very friendly and easy, showed us the downstairs part of the
house, and gave us goûter, not tea, wine and cake. The house looked
comfortable enough, nothing picturesque; a large square hall with
horns, whips, foxes' brushes, antlers, and all sorts of trophies of
the chase on the walls. They are sporting people; all ride. The
dining-room, a large bright room, was panelled with life-size
portraits of the family: M. and Mme. M. in hunting dress, green coats,
tricorne hats, _on_ their horses; the daughter of the house and one of
her brothers, rowing in a boat on a small lake; the eldest son in
shooting dress, corduroys, his gun slung over his shoulder, his dog by