site direction; and when the Prince de Metternich returned the two ladies had quite disappeared.

Making their way through the crowd, the Empress and Madame le Breton at last gained the streets, where they hailed a cab and drove to the houses of several friends without finding any at home. At last, almost fainting, and at their wits end what to do-for three francs was the amount in their joint purses-they decided to go to the Empress's dentist, Dr. Evans, an American, who lived in the Avenue Malakoff, outside the Arc de Triomphe. Here they dismissed their cab, and entering, sent word up "a lady wished to see Dr. Evans." The answer came down: "Dr. Evans did not see any patients at that hour on a Sunday." The Empress then asked for paper, and wrote a few words in cipher, and sent the servant back with it. A few moments sufficed to bring down the doctor, who at once took the two ladies into his private consulting-room, the Empress holding her handkerchief to her face as though in pain, to prevent the servant's recognizing her.

As soon as the door had closed on the servant, the Empress threw herself upon Dr. Evans's protection, asking him to see her safe out of France. Dr. Evans had known the Empress before her marriage, and had for years been received as a friend at the Tuileries. What the Empress now asked was indeed a difficult matter; but waiting till dusk, he undertook the task,

and meantime kept his visitors in strict seclusion. Towards night he ordered his carriage, and mounted the box. Placing the ladies inside, he represented at the barrier where he was stopped that he had an insane lady and her attendant inside, whom he was taking into the country, and begged the authorities not to excite his patient, as she was apt to be violent. Dr. Evans was known, and this story passed muster, and the party thus got out of Paris, and proceeded to Dauville, in Normandy. At this place Sir John Burgoyne, who was a friend of the Emperor's, had his yacht at anchor; and Dr. Evans, wished the Empress to take advantage of so good an opportunity to leave France. The tide was low, and to hail the yacht the party had to walk on the wet sand a very long distance, often up to their ankles in water.

Sir John Burgoyne was about to raise his anchor and set sail, when he saw the party making signals from the beach, and, sending a boat ashore, learnt from Dr. Evans the rank of his lady companions. With an Englishman's chivalry he at once accepted the charge, and introduced the Empress to Lady Burgoyne. He then wrapped Scotch plaids round his visitors, to deceive the crew into their being two Scotch friends anxious at the last to sail with him, and raising his anchor the Empress soon saw the shores of the unhappy country she had left behind her disappear. That

night a fearful tempest occurred, and the yacht was twenty-three hours at sea before the Isle of Wight was sighted. Here they disembarked and went to an hotel, but so travelstained and soaked were their clothes that the hotel-keeper at first refused them admission; and when overruled, the Empress had to give her stockings and a portion of her clothes to be washed, and borrow for the night from the hotelkeeper's wife.

From the Isle of Wight the Empress hastened next day to Hastings, vid Portsmouth. Here the Prince Imperial had been waiting some days, whilst his poor mother knew not even what had become of him. It was only just before she left the Tuilleries that a telegram had arrived to say, that by the Emperor's wish, he had been taken to Hastings. The meeting of mother and son may be better imagined than described, and the Empress convulsively clasped the Prince in her arms. He at least was still left to her. Yet how sad was their meeting, for mother and son were alike agonized at the recollection that the Emperor was a prisoner, in captivity and distress.

CHAPTER XI.

CHISLEHURST.

"Yet, yet I may baffle the hosts that surround us, And yet may thy heart leap awake to my voice.

There are links which must break in the chains that have bound us,

Then turn thee, and call on the Chief of thy choice."

THE Empress and Prince Imperial did not remain long at Hastings. The news of their arrival in England brought them many offers from their numerous friends among the English nobility and gentry of several houses and country seats, which were placed at the disposal of the distinguished Refugees. Amongst others, Mr. Strode, of Chislehurst, who had long been honoured by the friendship of the Emperor, offered the Empress the use of Camden House. Its position, the surrounding picturesque scenery, with the privacy of the abode, at once recommended it; the more so, as although only a quiet and retired village, it possessed a Roman Catholic place of worship. Mr. Strode's offer was

therefore accepted, on condition he would allow the Emperor to rent it for his family. Mr. Strode's reply was, that "while he should feel it an honour if the Empress would inhabit it under any circumstances, if it made her more comfortable to pay a rental, he would accept such nominally, spending, however, the sum agreed upon in rendering the house and grounds more fitted for her Majesty's residence."

As

Camden House is a comfortable English mansion, on the picturesque line of rail between Dover and London, about twenty miles distant from the capital. It possesses all the features of an English gentleman's country seat. It is built in the Italian stylea centre with a clock tower, and two wings. It is simply but well furnished, and surrounded by a park, with an avenue of fine trees leading from the lodge gates to the house. The neighbourhood is renowned for the rural beauty of its scenery. the Empress was desirous of leaving Hastings as soon as possible, Dr. Evans, who had accompanied her in her flight from Paris, escorted her to Camden House at once, where hasty preparations had been made for her reception and that of the Prince Imperial. The travellers arrived at their destination on Saturday, 10th December. They took two street cabs from the Chislehurst station to Camden House, and, worn out with fatigue, excitement, and distress of mind, they at once retired to rest. So hasty had been the arrangements, that no one