1865—1870 127 



sired Pasteur to come and spend a week at the Palace of 

 Compiegne. 



The very first evening a grand reception took place. The 

 diplomatic world was represented by M. de Budberg, ambas- 

 sador of Russia, and the Prussian ambassador, M. de Goltz. 

 Among the guests were: Dr. Longet, celebrated for his 

 researches and for his Treatise on Physiology, a most original 

 physician, whose one desire was to avoid patients and so have 

 more time for pure science; Jules Sandeau, the tender and 

 delicate novelist, with his somewhat heavy aspect of a captain 

 in the Garde Nationale; Paul Baudry, the painter, then in the 

 flower of his youth and radiant success; Paul Dubois, the 

 conscientious artist of the Chanteur Florentin exhibited that 

 very year; the architect, Viollet le Due, an habitue of the 

 palace. The Emperor drew Pasteur aside towards the fire- 

 place, and the scientist soon found himself instructing his 

 Sovereign, talking about ferments and molecular dissym- 

 metry. 



Pasteur was congratulated by the courtiers on the favour shown 

 by this immediate confidential talk, and the Empress sent him 

 word that she wished him to talk with her also. Pasteur 

 remembered this conversation, an animated one, a little discon- 

 nected, chiefly about animalculae, infusories and ferments. 

 When the guests returned to the immense corridor into which 

 the rooms opened, each w^ith the name of the guests on the 

 door, Pasteur wrote to Paris for his microscope and for some 

 samples of diseased wines. 



The next morning a stag hunt was organized ; riders in hand- 

 some costumes, open carriages drawn by six horses and con- 

 taining guests, entered the forest; a stag was soon brought to 

 bay by the hounds. In the evening, after dinner, there was 

 a torchlight procession in the great courtyard. Amid a burst 

 of trumpets, the footmen in state livery, standing in a circle, 

 held aloft the flaming torches. In the centre, a huntsman 

 held part of the carcase of the stag and waved it to and fro 

 before the greedy eyes of the hounds, who, eager to hurl 

 themselves upon it, and now restrained by a word, then let 

 loose, and again called back all trembling at their dis- 

 comfiture, vrere at length permitted to rush upon and devour 

 their prey. 



The next day offered another item on the programme, a 

 visit to the castle of Pierrefonds, marvellously restored by 



