Towards the end of April we received a visit from the little baroness, and in consequence of that visit there was great disturbance.  Winter dresses were hung up; spring dresses were got down.  At the beginning of July another visit, another disturbance—­entry of the costumes from the races; departure of others for the watering-places.  I lost my neighbor to the right, the mauve dress, and kept my neighbor on the left, the blue dress, a cross and crabbed person who was forever groaning, complaining, and saying to me, “Oh, my dear, you do take up so much room; do get out of the way a little.”  I must admit that the poor blue velvet dress was much to be pitied.  It was three years old, having been a part of the little baroness’s trousseau, and had never been worn.  “A high-neck blue velvet dress, at my age, with my shoulders and arms!” had exclaimed the little baroness; “I should look like a grandmother!” Thus it was decreed, and the unfortunate blue dress had gone from the trousseau straight to the reserve.

A week or ten days after the departure of the dresses for Baden-Baden we heard a noise, the voices of women, and all the doors were opened.  It was the little baroness, who had brought her friend the Countess N——.

“Sit there, my dear, on that ottoman,” said the little baroness.  “I have come to look over my dresses.  I am very hurried; I arrived but just now from Baden, and I start again to-night for Anjou.  We can chatter while Hermance shows me the dresses.  Oh, those Prussians, my dear, the monsters!  We had to run away, Blanche and myself, like thieves. (Very simple dresses, Hermance, every-day dresses, and walking and boating dresses.) Yes, my dear, like thieves!  They threw stones at us, real stones, in the Avenue of Lichtental, and called us ’Rascally Frenchwomen!  French rabble!’ The Emperor did well to declare war against such people. (Dresses for horseback, Hermance—­my brown riding-habit.) At any rate, there’s no need to worry.  My husband dined yesterday with Guy; you know, the tall Guy, who is an aide of Leboeuf.  Well, we are ready, admirably ready, and the Prussians not at all. (Very simple, I said, Hermance.  You are showing me ball-dresses.  I don’t intend to dance during the war.) And then, my dear, it seems that this war was absolutely necessary from a dynastic point of view.  I don’t quite know why, but I tell it to you as I heard it. (These dozen dresses, Hermance, will be sufficient.  But there are thirteen.  I never could have thirteen.  Take away the green one; or, no, add another—­that blue one; that’s all.) Now let’s go down, my dear.”

Whereupon she departed.  So war was declared, and with Prussia.  I was much moved.  I was a French dress and a Bonapartist dress.  I was afraid for France and afraid for the dynasty, but the words of the tall Guy were so perfectly reassuring.

For two months there was no news; but about the 10th of September the little baroness arrived with Hermance.  She was very pale, poor little baroness—­very pale and agitated.