Tracks of a Rolling Stone [133]
in the grand saloon. Here the Emperor joined us, with his cigarette in his mouth, shook hands with each, and bade us take our places in the char-a-bancs. Four splendid Normandy greys, with postilions in the picturesque old costume, glazed hats and huge jack- boots, took us through the forest at full gallop, and in half an hour we were at the covert side. The Emperor was very cheery all the way. He cautioned me not to shoot back for the beaters' sakes, and asked me how many guns I had brought.
'Two only? that's not enough, I will lend you some of mine.'
Arrived at our beat - 'Tire de Royallieu,' we found a squadron of dismounted cavalry drawn up in line, ready to commence operations. They were in stable dress, with canvas trousers and spurs to their boots. Several officers were galloping about giving orders, the whole being under the command of a mounted chief in green uniform and cocked hat! The place of each shooter had been settled by M. de Toulongeon. I, being the only Nobody of the lot, was put on the extreme outside. The Emperor was in the middle; and although, as I noticed, he made some beautiful shots at rocketers, he was engaged much of the time in talking to ministers who walked behind, or beside, him.
Our servants were already in the places allotted to their masters, and each of us had two keepers to carry spare guns (the Emperor had not forgotten to send me two of his, which I could not shoot with, and never used), and a sergeant with a large card to prick off each head of game, not as it fell to the gun, but only after it was picked up. This conscientious scoring amused me greatly; for, as it chanced, my bag was a heavy one, and the Emperor's marker sent constant messages to mine to compare notes, and so arrange, as it transpired, to keep His Majesty at the top of the score.
About half-past one we reached a clearing where DEJEUNER was awaiting us. The scene presented was striking. Around a tent in which every delicacy was spread out were numbers of little charcoal fires, where a still greater number of cooks in white caps and jackets were preparing dainty dishes; while the Imperial footmen bustling about brightened the picture with colour. After coffee all the cards were brought to his Majesty. When he had scanned them, he said to me across the table:
'I congratulate you, Mr. Coke, upon having killed the most.'
My answer was, 'After you, Sir.'
'Yes,' said he, giving his moustache an upward twist, but with perfect gravity, 'I always kill the most.'
Just then the Empress and the whole court drove up. Presently she came into the tent and, addressing her husband, exclaimed:
'Avez-vous bientot fini, vous autres? Ah! que vous etes des gourmands!'
Till the finish, she and the rest walked with the shooters. By four it was over. The total score was 1,387 head. Mine was 182, which included thirty-six partridges, two woodcocks, and four roedeer. This, in three and a half hours' shooting, with two muzzle-loaders (breech-loaders were not then in use), was an unusually good bag.
Fashion is capricious. When lunch was over I went to one of the charcoal fires, quite in the background, to light a cigarette. An aide-de-camp immediately pounced upon me, with the information that this was not permitted in company with the Empress. It reminded one at once of the ejaculation at Oliver Twist's bedside, 'Ladies is present, Mr. Giles.' After the shooting, I was told to go to tea with the Empress - a terrible ordeal, for one had to face the entire feminine force of the palace, nearly every one of whom, from the highest to the lowest, was provided with her own CAVALIERE SERVENTE.
The following night, when we assembled for dinner, I received orders to sit next to the Empress. This was still more embarrassing. It is true, one does not speak to a sovereign unless one is spoken to; but still one is permitted to make the initiative easy. I found that I was expected to take my share of the task; and by a happy inspiration,
'Two only? that's not enough, I will lend you some of mine.'
Arrived at our beat - 'Tire de Royallieu,' we found a squadron of dismounted cavalry drawn up in line, ready to commence operations. They were in stable dress, with canvas trousers and spurs to their boots. Several officers were galloping about giving orders, the whole being under the command of a mounted chief in green uniform and cocked hat! The place of each shooter had been settled by M. de Toulongeon. I, being the only Nobody of the lot, was put on the extreme outside. The Emperor was in the middle; and although, as I noticed, he made some beautiful shots at rocketers, he was engaged much of the time in talking to ministers who walked behind, or beside, him.
Our servants were already in the places allotted to their masters, and each of us had two keepers to carry spare guns (the Emperor had not forgotten to send me two of his, which I could not shoot with, and never used), and a sergeant with a large card to prick off each head of game, not as it fell to the gun, but only after it was picked up. This conscientious scoring amused me greatly; for, as it chanced, my bag was a heavy one, and the Emperor's marker sent constant messages to mine to compare notes, and so arrange, as it transpired, to keep His Majesty at the top of the score.
About half-past one we reached a clearing where DEJEUNER was awaiting us. The scene presented was striking. Around a tent in which every delicacy was spread out were numbers of little charcoal fires, where a still greater number of cooks in white caps and jackets were preparing dainty dishes; while the Imperial footmen bustling about brightened the picture with colour. After coffee all the cards were brought to his Majesty. When he had scanned them, he said to me across the table:
'I congratulate you, Mr. Coke, upon having killed the most.'
My answer was, 'After you, Sir.'
'Yes,' said he, giving his moustache an upward twist, but with perfect gravity, 'I always kill the most.'
Just then the Empress and the whole court drove up. Presently she came into the tent and, addressing her husband, exclaimed:
'Avez-vous bientot fini, vous autres? Ah! que vous etes des gourmands!'
Till the finish, she and the rest walked with the shooters. By four it was over. The total score was 1,387 head. Mine was 182, which included thirty-six partridges, two woodcocks, and four roedeer. This, in three and a half hours' shooting, with two muzzle-loaders (breech-loaders were not then in use), was an unusually good bag.
Fashion is capricious. When lunch was over I went to one of the charcoal fires, quite in the background, to light a cigarette. An aide-de-camp immediately pounced upon me, with the information that this was not permitted in company with the Empress. It reminded one at once of the ejaculation at Oliver Twist's bedside, 'Ladies is present, Mr. Giles.' After the shooting, I was told to go to tea with the Empress - a terrible ordeal, for one had to face the entire feminine force of the palace, nearly every one of whom, from the highest to the lowest, was provided with her own CAVALIERE SERVENTE.
The following night, when we assembled for dinner, I received orders to sit next to the Empress. This was still more embarrassing. It is true, one does not speak to a sovereign unless one is spoken to; but still one is permitted to make the initiative easy. I found that I was expected to take my share of the task; and by a happy inspiration,