THE DUG DE GUICHE. 135 



turned out. Amidst the equipages, those belonging to the 

 dauphin are remarkable for their elegance, which is easily 

 explained, by their having been selected by the Due de 

 Guiche. 



It was not without difficulty that this army of chasseurs 

 could arrange themselves within the circle of the rond point 

 de Petit Bicetre, such was the number of carriages, cavaliers, 

 and footmen of all conditions who blocked up the space. 



The interest attached to this peculiar chasse of his Majesty 

 Charles X., and which I witnessed for the first time, was 

 much heightened by the crowd of distinguished personages 

 who were present. All were initiated into the smallest details 

 of the court; no person of any consequence in Paris was 

 absent. It was like walking in the midst of a portrait 

 gallery. 



Whilst awaiting the arrival of the king, they took up 

 their position upon the sides of the road to Chatillon, a little 

 before the Petit Bicetre, upon the borders of the wood of 

 Yerrieres. It was a point from whence every interesting 

 incident of the halt could be observed. There the flower of 

 the young Parisian aristocracy had chosen their temporary 

 domicile, and given free scope to their conversational powers. 

 They talked of the opera, gallant ad ventures, new actresses, 

 losses at play, politics, the chase, horses and steeple-chases, 

 and, amidst this rolling fire, this artillery of words, the suc- 

 cessive and rapid arrivals of some fresh sportsmen, or gentle- 

 men connected with the hunt, furnished every moment some 

 new subject of conversation. 



Suddenly the word Monseigneur is repeated by the crowd, 

 and all heads turn in one direction. The dauphin enters 

 the circle, and the group of cavaliers open to receive him as 

 their centre. He is accompanied by the commandant of the 

 chasse, and the Due de Guiche 



The latter personage might be recognised amongst a 



