A ' ParticullerJ 339 



black woollen dresses without any flounces, and a white band" 

 with a red cross on their arms, enter, whom she probably took 

 for two chambermaids pr-epahng her for the arrival of Her 

 Highness. 



I am sure the pleasure of these pompous people was much 

 spoilt by our simplicity, and on seeing my brother-in-law 

 Alired in his shooting jacket their thoughts about German 

 princes were not improved. We had an excellent lunch, but 

 being quite disgusted with the Frenchified behaviour and 

 speeches ot these German renegades, I found pleasure in dis- 

 appointing them by not appearing at dinner, pleading sickness 

 and remaining in my bed. 



The i8th of November we stayed in Braisne, and reached 

 on the 19th Soissons, where we arrived at twelve o'clock, and 

 were quartered in the house of a real French baron, de Sahume. 

 The fine manners of the baroness, and the style of his hospi- 

 tality, formed a striking contrast with that of the Baroness 

 Sachs. 



Soissons showed still many tokens of the recent siege. One 

 of its suburbs was entirely in ruins, having been destroyed by 

 the French themselves. 



Sunday, the 20th, we arrived in Attichy. We were quartered 

 in a house belonging to a tradesman, who, after having made 

 some little money, settled as a * particiilier.' The French are 

 a very sensible people in this respect ; they do not live to 

 work ; they work to live. Their great ambition and desire is 

 to earn enough to live independently of being obliged to work. 

 As long as they are in business they are very industrious ; they 

 work day and night until they have made money enough to 

 retire and to become ' particuliers.* As the habits and taste 

 of the middle and lower classes in France are very simple and 

 economical, it is not very difticult for steady people amongst 

 them to save the few thousand francs which are required to 

 live such a simple and frugal li^e as makes them contented and 

 happy. 



Our landlord was so much affected by the honour done to 

 his house by having a Prince and Princess as guests, that he 

 trembled all over and shed tears when I looked at him or ad- 

 dressed him. We had very good and comfortable rooms, and 

 the proprietor and his wife waited in person upon us, for they 

 did not keep a servant. 



