LIFE OF MYTTON. 201 



chdteau, and to receive him as an inmate until his 

 recovery was completed. But I went beyond this : 

 I undertook to make a trial of managing him myself, 

 without the aid of his keepers ; and the first ten days 

 bade fair for success. He conformed to regular 



o 



hours ; enjoyed his meals ; did not exceed his bottle 

 of light wine ; was, I thought, never happier in his 

 life, and the recruitment of his health was beyond all 

 expectation. But, luckily for all parties, at the re- 

 quest of his mother, who was gone to England, his 

 keepers still remained in Calais, to await the issue of 

 the experiment ; for at the end of a fortnight he stole 

 away to Calais unobserved, got at the brandy bottle, 

 and then it was all over with my " brief authority." 

 It was with great difficulty that I could prevail on 

 him to return to dinner for three successive eveninsfs ; 

 and on the fourth he was outrageous, threatening to 

 murder a gentleman at table who had been most 

 kind to him in his illness. It then became necessary 

 to send to Calais for his keepers ; and by eight o'clock 

 the next morning, with the advice of his doctors, he 

 was under their care. 



Provision was made for this somewhat anticipated 

 change. The chateau afforded ample accommodation 

 for the whole party ; but as, in all such cases, it is 



