190 Ten Years of my Life. 



As I could not get a carriage next morning, I was obliged 

 to go on horseback. A lady»'s saddle was not to be had, and 

 as some colonel's horse was just saddled at the door and 

 offered to me, I rode on it to the General's head-quarters, fol- 

 lowed by an Indian servant. 



The General received me very kindly, shook hands with me, 

 and said that he was glad to see me. I asked him to give me 

 an order to see my husband and the Emperor. He sent at 

 once for Colonel Villanueva of his staff, and requested him ta 

 accompany me to the prison. 



Before going to the prison, I went to the hotel to change my 

 riding-habit for another dress, and then went with the colonel 

 to the Convent San Teresita. We reached the convent be- 

 tween ten and eleven o'clock a.m., crossed a yard, and went up 

 a very dirty and extremely bad-smelling staircase. This and 

 the noise everywhere in the house made me quite dizzy. 



We now entered a small dirty room, where several officers 

 were lying about on ' cocos ' on the floor, all looking very neg- 

 lected. On asking for my husband, a polite little gentleman, 

 M. Blasio, informed me the Prince was with the Emperor, and 

 would return directly. He had scarcely said so when my 

 husband came. He was not shaved, wore a collar several days 

 old, and looked altogether as if he had emerged from a dust- 

 bin, though not worse than the rest of his comrades. To see 

 him again under these circumstances affected me very much, 

 and I wept and almost fainted when he held me in his arms. 



My husband now left me to inform the Emperor of my arri- 

 val, who told him that he should be pleased to see me. The 

 Emperor had suffered before the surrender very much from 

 dysentery, and v/as sick in bed, but in such circumstances all 

 the ceremonies which make social life uncomfortable are at an 

 end. Salm cautioned me not to speak of the death of Gene- 

 ral Mendez, who had been shot a few hours ago. 



I shall never forget this interview with the Emperor, with 

 whom I had never yet spoken. The Empress had left Mexico 

 several months before my arrival, and ladies were not received 

 at Court. How our meeting at Chapultepec was prevented I 

 have said before. 



I found him in a miserable bare room, in bed, looking very 

 sick and pale. He received me with the utmost kindness, 

 kissed, my hand, and pressed it in his, and told me how glad 



