She went, therefore, to reside in the neighbourhood of Blois, in’ the old castle of Chaumont-sur-Loire, which had in former times been inhabited by the Cardinal d’Amboise, Diana of Poitiers, and Catherine de Medicis.  The present proprietor of this romantic residence, M. Le Ray, with whom my parents were connected by the ties of friendship and business, was then in America.  But just at the time we were occupying his chateau, he returned from the United States with his family, and though he was very urgent in wishing us to remain in his house, the more he pressed us politely to do so, the more anxiety we felt, lest we should incommode him.  M. de Salaberry relieved us from this embarrassment with the greatest kindness, by placing at our disposal his house at Fosse.  At this period my mother’s narrative recommences.

Part The Second

CHAPTER 1.

Suppression of my Work on Germany.—­Banishment from France.

Being unable to remain longer in the castle of Chaumont, the proprietors of which had returned from America, I went and fixed myself at a farm called Fosse, which a generous friend lent me.* The house was inhabited by a Vendean soldier, who certainly did not keep it in the nicest order, but who had a loyal good nature that made every thing easy, and an originality of character that was very amusing.  Scarcely had we arrived, when an Italian musician, whom I had with me to give lessons to my daughter, began playing upon the guitar; my daughter accompanied upon the harp the sweet voice of my beautiful friend Madame Recamier; the peasants collected round the windows, astonished to see this colony of troubadours, which had come to enliven the solitude of their master.  It was there I passed my last days in France, with some friends, whose recollection lives in my heart.  Certainly this intimate assemblage, this solitary residence, this agreeable occupation with the fine arts did no harm to any one.  We frequently sung a charming air composed by the Queen of Holland, and of which the burden is:  ’Do what you ought, happen what may’.  After dinner, we had imagined the idea of seating ourselves round a green table and writing letters to each other, instead of conversing.  These varied and multiplied tetes-a-tete amused us so much, that we were impatient to get from table, where we were talking, in order to go and write to one another.  When any strangers came in accidentally, we could not bear the interruption of our habits; and our penny post (it is thus we called it) always went its round.  The inhabitants of the neighbouring town were somewhat astonished at these new manners, and looked upon them as pedantic, while there was nothing in this game, but a resource against the monotony of solitude.  One day a gentleman of the neighbourhood who had never thought of any thing in his life but the chase, came to take my boys with him into the