Madame continued her journey on horseback.  Nothing could stop her, neither oppressive heat nor rain-storms.  When she was spoken to of her fatigues, “It is only fair,” she responded, “that I should give myself a little trouble to make the acquaintance of those who have shed their blood for us.”  Most of the time she took her repast in the open air.  The peasants strolled around the table and fired salutes with their old muskets; for in Vendee there is no fete without powder.  Then to the sound of the biniou and of the veze they moved in joyous dances in which the daughter of kings did not disdain to take part.  On entering every village she was greeted by the cures of the parish and the neighboring parishes.  Nearly all were old soldiers whose hands had borne the sword before carrying the cross.

Near the boundaries of the department of La Loire-Inferieure Madame alighted.  “Here is a farm,” she said; “let us knock and ask for some milk.”  The doors were not closed.  On entering the room of the farm-wife,—­who was absent,—­the Princess found only a very little infant asleep and swaddled in a cradle.  Then she seated herself on a stool, and after the fashion of the country, set herself to rocking, with her foot, the babe of the poor peasant-woman.  The 6th of July, at nine in the evening, she reached Beaupreau.  The city, built in the form of an amphitheatre, was illuminated; an immense bonfire had been lighted.  The next day Madame laid the corner-stone of a monument in honor of d’Elbee, and saluted at Pinen-Mauges, the statue of Cathelineau.  The 8th of July, she was at the Chateau of Maulevrier, whose owner, M. de Colbert, had erected a monument to the memory of Stofflet, the heroic huntsman.  The same day, at Saint Aubin, she laid the first stone of another monument raised to the four heroes of La Vendee, —­Dornissan, Lescure, Henry and Louis de La Rochejaquelein.

The 10th of July, the Princess was at Lucon, the 11th at La Rochelle, the 12th at Rochefort, the 13th at Blaye, the 14th at Bordeaux.  The “faithful city,” as the capital of the Gironde was then named, distinguished itself by its enthusiasm.  A little girl of eight years, Mademoiselle du Hamel, surrounded by her young companions, daughters of members of the municipal government read a welcome to the mother of the Duke of Bordeaux as follows:—­

“Madame, while our fathers have the honor to offer you their hearts and their arms, permit us, children, to offer to you the flowers and the prayers of innocence.  In choosing me as their interpreter, my young companions have doubtless wished to recall to you an angel who is dear to you; but if alone of them all I have the fortune to count the same number of years as Mademoiselle, we all rival each other in cherishing you, we all repeat with an enthusiasm rendered purer and more simple by our age, Long live the King!  Long live Madame!”

In the evening the “Mother of the Little Duke,” as the Bordelais called the Princess, went to the chief theatre, where she was received with frenzied applause.  The statue of the Duke of Bordeaux, supported by soldiers under a canopy of flags, and crowned with laurels, was brought to the front of the stage, while a cortege formed by a detachment of troops of the line, and by all the company of the theatre, filed by, military music resounded.  Then a cantata was sung.