THE BATTUE. 123 



man the most devoted attachment to the royal family, and 

 an unimpeachable integrity in all his relations with the 

 world and situations he held under Government. 



" That elegant amazon to whom M. de Perigord is paying 

 his respects, is the Yicomptesse de Noailles ; nothing can be 

 more exquisitely witty and piquant than her conversation. 

 She is one of those remarkable instances in proof that a 

 certain affectation of manner is not always opposed to 

 success in the world. 



"The last cavalier is the Due d'Esclignac, related to Louis 

 XV III. by his mother's side. He commenced his career as a 

 simple soldier of the Empire. The birth and the life of this 

 man are quite an anachronism, and belong to the ancient 

 days of heroes. 



" The cavalcade approaches the covers where the battue 

 is to take place. The shooters dismount, and the carriages 

 and horses are led to a distance, and out of the range of shot. 



" When every one is at his post, a moment of profound 

 silence ensues. All conversation ceases, and tete-ct-tetes are 

 interrupted. Suddenly a signal is given by the grand 

 huntsman, and transmitted with telegraphic rapidity to the 

 whole line of beaters, who are stationed far in advance. 

 Hurrahs resound a thousand cries of every variety of 

 dissonance fill the air, and increase in noise and volume 

 every moment. It is easy to perceive that the demi-circle 

 formed by the beaters is narrowing, and that the cries and 

 voices which were spread over a large space are now con- 

 verging towards a centre. The beaters, in fact, are approach- 

 ing, and the game is driven in every direction before them. 



"Yery often, however, the wild boar, with an instinctive 

 remembrance of having been wounded before on a similar 

 occasion, instead of flying from the noises behind him, to 

 what might appear comparative safety in front, stops, 

 hesitates, and then with a sudden rush, charges the line of 



