54 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



the fortress had fallen in her house. She was then in- 

 tending to take refuge in Algiers, and she asked me to 

 bring the captain of the vessel to her, of whom, perhaps, 

 she would have to implore protection. I related to my 

 u rats " the misfortunes of the Princess ; he was moved 

 by them, and I conducted him to her. On entering, he 

 took off his slippers from respect, as if he had entered 

 within a mosque, and holding them in his hand, he went 

 to kiss the front of the dress of Madame d'Orleans. The 

 Princess was alarmed at the sight of this manly figure, 

 wearing the longest beard I ever saw ; she quickly re- 

 covered herself, and the interview proceeded with a mix- 

 ture of French politeness and Oriental courtesy. 



The sixty francs from Rosas were expended. Madame 

 D'Orleans would have liked much to assist us, but she 

 was herself without money. All that she could gratify 

 us with was a piece of sugarbread. The evening of our 

 visit I was richer than the Princess. To avoid the fury 

 of the people the Spanish Government sent those French 

 who had escaped the first massacres back to France in 

 slight boats. One of the cartels came and cast anchor by 

 the side of our hulk. One of the unhappy emigrants 

 offered me a pinch of snuff. On opening the snuff-box I 

 found there " una onza de oro" (an ounce of gold,) the 

 sole remains of his fortune. I returned the snuff-box to 

 him, with warm thanks, after having shut up in it a paper 

 containing these words : " My fellow-countryman who 

 carries this note has rendered me a great service ; treat 

 him as one of your children." My petition was naturally 

 favourably received ; it was by this bit of paper, the size 

 of the onza de oro, that my family learnt that I was still 

 in existence, and it enabled my mother a model of piety 

 to cease saying masses for the repose of my soul. 



