There was a hearty laugh over it all. I managed to spare the
captain's feelings by preserving my incognito, and so ended a
pleasant day.
CHAPTER XLIV
IN November, 1862, my wife and I received an invitation to
spend a week at Compiegne with their Majesties the Emperor
and Empress of the French. This was due to the circumstance
that my wife's father, Lord Wilton, as Commodore of the Royal
Yacht Squadron, had entertained the Emperor during his visit
to Cowes.
We found an express train with the imperial carriages
awaiting the arrival of the English guests at the station du
Nord. The only other English besides ourselves were Lord and
Lady Winchilsea with Lady Florence Paget, and Lord and Lady
Castlerosse, now Lord and Lady Kenmare. These, however, had
preceded us, so that with the exception of M. Drouyn de
Lhuys, we had the saloon carriage to ourselves.
The party was a very large one, including the Walewskis, the
Persignys, the Metternichs - he, the Austrian Ambassador -
Prince Henri VII. of Reuss, Prussian Ambassador, the Prince
de la Moskowa, son of Marshal Ney, and the Labedoyeres,
amongst the historical names. Amongst those of art and
literature, of whom there were many, the only one whom I made
the acquaintance of was Octave Feuillet. I happened to have
brought his 'Comedies et Proverbes' and another of his books
with me, never expecting to meet him; this so pleased him
that we became allies.
