Meanwhile the Vicomte had dismounted, jumped on to the fresh black horse, and was bowing beside us.  “Vous voyez je suis venu,” he said, and he looked only at me.  I don’t know why, Mamma, but I felt the blood rushing all over my cheeks; it was nice of him, wasn’t it?  He had arranged it all yesterday, and by changing horses and galloping the whole way, he had managed just to get to the rendezvous in time.  I don’t believe any Englishman that I know would do so much for me, and I was touched.  We were fortunate in being almost the first carriage behind our leader, the officer with the horn, and he took us across roads, and we halted at last, where we could see the whole hunt advancing to some hurdles which had been erected at a few yards’ distance from each other down the allee.  Such an excitement! every one encouraging them at the top of their voices, their uniforms glittering in the sun.

The jumps were not very high, and most of the officers got over all right, only one cuirassier fell, and every one shrieked, but he wasn’t a bit hurt.  We clapped those who jumped especially well, and cried “Bravo!” It was fun.  Then, when they had all passed, we were conducted through some more short cuts to another set of hurdles covered with green boughs, and these were a little higher.  It did sound lively, with horns blowing and people shouting all the time.  The Vicomte was among the last, as he passed us following the paper, but he waved gaily.  We had to drive very quickly to be in time for the next “obstacles” and so it went on.  When we watched the last ones, the Vicomte was among the very front four.

[Sidenote:  Rewards of Gallantry]

Then the exciting part began, as they had to race for the ribbons, white for the winner and blue for the second; but it was quite a long way, so we had time to get to the winning-post, the flat place near where the Chateau stood formerly.  There were long tables laid out with gouter, and the bands of the regiments playing nice tunes.  Victorine began to be disagreeable directly we saw them coming, the Vicomte well to the front.  “Comme c’est cruel de Monsieur de la Tremors, de presser son cheval a ce point,” she said, while even the Comte became excited, and shouted, “Bravo, Gaston!” I was pleased when he came in first, and really he rides quite nicely, Mamma.

Then every one got out of the carriages and there was a ceremony.  The wife of the Colonel of the 75th chasseurs (young and nice looking) placed a white ribbon with gold fringe ends round the neck of the Vicomte, while he knelt and kissed her hand on the damp grass, and when he got up there was quite a wet stain on his knees.  The second man—­a great lumbering cuirassier—­got a blue ribbon, and as he was heavier the stain showed worse on his red trousers.  After that, we all began to eat cakes and drink drinks (I don’t know what they were made of, that is why I say “drinks,”