; the 25th, at Bayonne, where she assisted at a
military fete. In all her excursions, Madame carried her pencils
with her, and almost every day sketched some picturesque site.
Eight Bearnais, with an amaranth belt and hats of white and green,
served her as a guard of honor. She passed all the month of August
and a part of the month of September in the Pyrenees. The
mountaineers never wearied of admiring the hardihood, the gaiety,
the spirit, shown by her in making the most difficult ascensions.
The 9th of September, she quitted Bagneres-de Luchon to return to
Paris, passing through Toulouse, Montauban, Cahors, Limoges, and
Orleans. It was one long series of ovations. The 1st of October,
Madame returned to the Tuileries. She had been accompanied all
through her journey by the Marechale Duchess of Reggio, lady of
honor; by the Marchioness of Podenas, lady companion; and by Count
de Mesnard, first equerry.
The Duchess of Berry returned enchanted. Could she suspect the
reception that awaited her, four years later, in the places where
she had just been the object of veritable worship? When she was
received at Nantes as a triumphant sovereign, could she believe
that the time was approaching when, in that same city, she would
have hardly a stone on which to lay her head and where she would
seek a futile refuge in the chimney-piece--mysterious hiding-
place--of the house of the Demoiselles Duguigny? At Blaye could
she imagine that the citadel, hung with white flags, whose cannon
were fired in her honor, would so soon become her prison? Poor
Princess! She had taken seriously the protestations of devotion
and fidelity addressed to her everywhere.
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