fine day for the morrow.

We had a cheery tea. W. and Mme. de Courval had made a long "tournée,"
and W. quite approved of all the changes and new acquisitions she had
made, particularly the little Breton cows. We left rather hurriedly as
we had just time to catch our train.

Our last glimpse of the château as we looked back from the turn in the
avenue was charming; there were lights in almost all the windows,
which were reflected in the moat; the moon was rising over the woods
at the back, and every tower and cornice of the enormous pile stood
out sharply in the cold clear light.

* * * * *

We didn't move often once we were settled in the château for the
autumn. It was very difficult to get W. away from his books and coins
and his woods; but occasionally a shooting party tempted him. We went
sometimes, about the Toussaint when the leaves were nearly fallen, to
stay with friends who had a fine château and estate about three hours
by rail from Paris, in the midst of the great plains of the Aube. The
first time we went, soon after my marriage, I was rather doubtful as
to how I should like it. I had never stayed in a French country house
and imagined it would be very stiff and formal; however, the
invitation was for three days--two days of shooting and one of
rest--and I thought that I could get through without being too
homesick.

We arrived about 4.30 for tea; the journey from Paris was through just
the same uninteresting country one always sees when leaving by the