She
returned afterward to the Chateau de Mesnard, the property of her
first equerry, the one who traced so well the itinerary of her
journey. All the inhabitants of the bourg of Mesnard had taken
part in the great Vendean war, and, their cure at their head,
marched as far as Granville. The mother of the first equerry, then
a widow, and whose two sons were in the army of Conde, had
followed her former peasants, with her daughter, and died at
Lagrande at the time of the disastrous retreat. Madame de la
Rochejaquelein, in her Memoirs, speaks of the sad state in which
she saw her. In memory of so much devotion, Madame wished to open
a bal champetre with a veteran of the bourg of Mesnard.
That night the Princess slept at the Chateau of Landebaudiere,
belonging to Count Auguste de La Rochejaquelein. Everywhere the
villagers came to the gates of the chateaux to enlist in their
joys as formerly they had enlisted in their combats,--Lescure, La
Rochejaquelein, d'Elbee, Charette. The 6th, Madame visited the
field of the battle of Torfou. A former officer of the army of La
Vendee, noting that she wore a green riding-habit, said to her:
"We were always attached to our uniform, but we cherish it more
than ever to-day, when we see that we wear the colors of Madame."
--"Gentlemen," replied the Princess, "I have adopted your uniform."
She breakfasted in the open air, amid the Vendeans under arms.
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