nothing delighted the little minister more than to let his mount tear
along full gallop with a loose rein. He had a very firm seat, and was
very plucky, especially on a horse of ours called "Le Vendome," which in
his southern accent he pronounced "Le Vanndomme." I remember one day, at
Fontaineblean, as he was galloping along beside me on that same
"Vanndomme," we passed by a young fagot-gatherer, bending under her
load. She straightened herself at the noise; it was very hot, her jacket
had come unbuttoned, and showed a bare white very well furnished bust.
She smiled to M. Thiers, who pulled his horse up short, turned back to
thrust a handful of small change into the young woman's palm, and
started off again full tear, as if he had had an electric shock, jumping
the fallen trees with a resolution and energy which I had never known
him show before.

On another occasion he proved himself a less brilliant horseman. The
statue of Napoleon, that statue which is put up and taken down in every
Revolution, was to be ceremoniously replaced on the top of its column.
The troops and the National Guard were under arms, with their bands and
drums, headed by a splendid drum-major, massed at the foot of the
column. We arrived in state by the Rue Castiglione, so that the column
surmounted by the statue, covered by a veil that was to drop at a given
signal, faced us just as we came out upon the square M. Thiers, in full
uniform, with his minister's hat and feathers, and again riding
"Vanndomme," struck in his spurs, left the procession at full gallop,
and passed before my father, shouting at the very top of his falsetto
voice, "I take your Majesty's pleasure" the words being accompanied by a
wave of his hat which ill-natured people might have said was copied from
General Rapp's gesture in Gerard's picture of the Battle of Austerlitz
at the Louvre. On this signal the drums beat, the bands played, the
statue was unveiled--but M. Thiers had lost control of "Vanndomme," who,