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A FEMALE FRENCH FIB.

entrance.) As we wished to have three rooms, we told her,
we were friends of Messrs. G, (the principal merchants of
Rouen. She said, they were very amiable men, and were
pleased to send all their friends to her house (a little french fib of
Madame F's, by the by, as will appear hereafter); and
she was truly sorry that she could not accommodate us better.
We looked into the room, which also looked into the street,
was exposed to all its noise, and very small. So we made
our bows to Madame F, and proceeded with our wheel-
barrow to the Hôtel de Poitiers-a rival house. It is situated
in the beautiful boulevards, which I have mentioned, and is
part of a row of fine stonebuilt houses. Upon our ringing the
bell, Madame P― presented herself.
presented herself. We told her, we were
just arrived at Rouen, that we had the honour of being known
to Messrs. G, and should be happy to be placed under her
roof, and wished to have two lodging rooms and a sitting
room to ourselves. Madame P- who possessed that sort
of good and generous heart, which nature, for its better pre-
servation, had lodged in a comfortable envelope of comely
plumpness, observed, that Messrs. G― were gentlemen of
great respectability, were her patrons, and always sent their
friends to her house (a point upon which these rival dames were
at issue, but the truth was with Madame P―); that she
would do all in her power to make us happy; but at present,
on account of her house being very crowded, she could only
offer us two bedrooms. We were too tired to think of any
further peregrinations of discovery; so we entered our bed-
rooms, which, like most of the chambers in France, had brick

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CHAP.

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PROCESSION.— MADAME G.

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REVIEW.

CHAP.

V.

floors without any carpetting; they were, however, clean; and, after ordering a good fire in one of them (for the sudden and unusual frost, which, in the beginning of summer, committed so much ravage throughout Europe, commenced the day we had first the honour of seeing Madame P-); and, after enjoying those comforts which weary wanderers require, we mounted our lofty beds, and went to rest.

The next day we presented our letter, and ourselves, to Madame G―, the amiable mother of the gentlemen I have mentioned. She received us with great politeness, and immediately arranged a dinner party for us, for that day. It being rather early in the morning, we were admitted into her chamber, a common custom of receiving early visits in France. About eleven o'clock we saw a splendid procession of all the military and civil authorities to the hôtel * of the prefect, which was opposite to our inn.

The object of this cavalcade was to congratulate the archbishop of Rouen (who was then upon a visit to the prefect, until his own palace was ready to receive him) on his elevation to the see.

This spectacle displayed the interference of God, in thus making the former enemies of his worship pay homage to his ministers, after a long reign of atheism and persecution.

About twelve o'clock, which is the hour of parade throughout the republic, we went to the Champ de Mars, and saw a review of the 20th regiment of chasseurs, under the com

Hôtel, in France, means either an inn, or private house of consequence,

mand

THE REVIEW. - MONS. L'ABBE.

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43

mand of generals St. Hiliare and Ruffin, who, as well as CHAP. the regiment, had particularly distinguished themselves at Marengo.

The men were richly appointed, and in general well mounted. They all wore mustachios. They were just arrived from Amiens, where, as a mark of honour, they had been quartered during the negotiation.

St. Hiliare is a young

The officers were superbly attired. man, and in person much resembles his patron and friend, the first consul; and, they say, in abilities also.

Some of the horses were of a dissimilar size and colour, which had a bad effect; but I was informed, upon making the remark, that they had lost many in battle, and had not had time properly to replace them. They were all strong and fiery, and went through their evolutions with surprising swiftness.

At dinner our party was very agreeable. Next to me sat a little abbè, who appeared to be in years, but full of vivacity, and seemed to be much esteemed by every person present. During the time of terrour (as the French emphatically call the gloomy reign of Robespierre) the blood of this good man, who, from his wealth, piety, and munificence, possessed considerable influence in Rouen, was sought after with keen pursuit. Madame G was the saviour of his life, by concealing him, previous to her own imprisonment, for two years, in different cellars, under her house, which she rendered as warm and as comfortable as circumstances, and the nature of the concealment, would allow. In one of these cells of humane secresy, this

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