There was such an evident reluctance to give us anything that I didn’t like to insist, and said we must really be going as we had a long drive before us, though I should have liked something hot; tea, of course, she knew nothing about, but even a glass of ordinary hot wine, which they make very well in France, would have been acceptable.  Henrietta was furious; she was shivering with cold, her eyes smarting with the smoke, and not at all interested in M.B.’s political career, or Madame’s servants, and said she would have been thankful to have even a glass of vin de Chypre.

It was unfortunate, perhaps, that we had arrived during the “lessive”; that is always a most important function in France.  In almost all the big houses in the country (small ones, too) that is the way they do their washing; once a month or once every three months, according to the size of the establishment, the whole washing of the household is done; all the linen:  master’s, servants’, guests’; house is turned out; the linen closets cleaned and aired!  Every one looks busy and energetic.  It is quite a long affair—­lasts three or four days.  I often went to see the performance when we made our “lessive” at the chateau every month.

It always interested our English and American friends, as the washing is never done in that way in either of their countries.  It was very convenient at our place as we had plenty of room.  The “lavoir” stood at the top of the steps leading into the kitchen gardens; there was a large, square tank sunk in the ground, so that the women could kneel to their work, then a little higher another of beautiful clear water, all under cover.  Just across the path there was a small house with a blazing wood fire; in the middle an enormous tub where all the linen was passed through wood ashes.  There were four “lessiveuses” (washerwomen), sturdy peasant women with very short skirts, sabots, and turbans (made of blue and white checked calico) on their heads, their strong red arms bared above the elbow.  The Mere Michon, the eldest of the four, directed everything and kept them well at work, allowed very little talking; they generally chatter when they are washing and very often quarrel.  When they are washing at the public “lavoir” in the village one hears their shrill voices from a great distance.  Our “lingere,” Mme. Hubert, superintended the whole operation; she was very keen about it and remonstrated vigorously when they slapped the linen too hard sometimes with the little flat sticks, like spades, they use.  The linen all came out beautifully white and smooth, hadn’t the yellow look that all city-washed clothes have.

I think Mme. B. was very glad to get rid of us, and to begin folding her linen and putting it back in the big wooden wardrobes, that one sees everywhere in France.  Some of the old Norman wardrobes, with handsome brass locks and beautifully carved doors, are real works of art—­very difficult to get and very expensive.  Fifty years ago the peasant did not understand the value of such a “meuble” and parted with it easily—­but now, with railways everywhere and strangers and bric-a-brac people always on the lookout for a really old piece of furniture, they understand quite well that they possess a treasure and exact its full value.