The next day
Madame laid the corner-stone of a monument in honor of d'Elbee,
and saluted at Pinen-Mauges, the statue of Cathelineau. The 8th of
July, she was at the Chateau of Maulevrier, whose owner, M. de
Colbert, had erected a monument to the memory of Stofflet, the
heroic huntsman. The same day, at Saint Aubin, she laid the first
stone of another monument raised to the four heroes of La Vendee,
--Dornissan, Lescure, Henry and Louis de La Rochejaquelein.
The 10th of July, the Princess was at Lucon, the 11th at La
Rochelle, the 12th at Rochefort, the 13th at Blaye, the 14th at
Bordeaux. The "faithful city," as the capital of the Gironde was
then named, distinguished itself by its enthusiasm. A little girl
of eight years, Mademoiselle du Hamel, surrounded by her young
companions, daughters of members of the municipal government read
a welcome to the mother of the Duke of Bordeaux as follows:--
"Madame, while our fathers have the honor to offer you their
hearts and their arms, permit us, children, to offer to you the
flowers and the prayers of innocence. In choosing me as their
interpreter, my young companions have doubtless wished to recall
to you an angel who is dear to you; but if alone of them all I
have the fortune to count the same number of years as
Mademoiselle, we all rival each other in cherishing you, we all
repeat with an enthusiasm rendered purer and more simple by our
age, Long live the King! Long live Madame!"
In the evening the "Mother of the Little Duke," as the Bordelais
called the Princess, went to the chief theatre, where she was
received with frenzied applause.
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