78 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



discovery. It came out in conversation 

 with this French lady that she had actually 

 been to school with the Empress in her 

 youth ; that they had played together, and 

 been on picnics together. Her husband was 

 a sea-commander, and she showed me his 

 belt, etc. He served Napoleon when Napoleon 

 was president, but protested against the coup 

 d'etat of 1851, and they had then to leave 

 Paris. She had been unfortunate, and had 

 now to earn her bread. She still preserves 

 her husband's coat-of-arms, etc. Then came 

 another discovery. It appeared that the 

 equerries of the Empress (sixteen in number), 

 unable to speak English, had seen her adver- 

 tisement and came to her to act as interpreter. 

 She did so. After a while it crept out that 

 these rascals were abusing their employer be- 

 hind her back, and even went the length of 

 letting out private conversations they had 

 overheard in the Tuileries, and at the Marine 

 Hotel. She felt extremely indignant at this 

 ungrateful conduct (for they are well paid and 

 have three months' wages in advance), and she 

 should like the Empress to know, but being so 



