CHAPTER XV

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Society during the Empire -- The series of guests at Compiegne -- The amusements -- the absence of musical taste in the Bonapartes -- The programme on the first, second, third, and fourth days -- An anecdote of Lafontaine, the actor -- Theatrical performances and balls -- The expenses of the same -- The theatre at Compiegne -- The guests, male and female -- "Neck or nothing" for the latter, uniform for the former -- The rest have to take "back seats" -- The selection of guests among the notabilities of Compiegne -- A mayor's troubles -- The Empress's and the Emperor's conflicting opinions with regard to female charms -- Bassano in "hot water" -- Tactics of the demi-mondaines -- Improvement from the heraldic point of view in the Empress's entourage -- The cocodettes -- Their dress -- Worth -- When every pretext for a change of toilette is exhausted, the court ladies turn themselves into ballerinas -- "Le Diable a Quatre" at Compiegne -- The ladies appear at the ball afterwards in their gauze skirts -- The Emperor's dictum with regard to ballet-dancers and men's infatuation for them -- The Emperor did not like stupid women -- The Emperor's "eye" for a handsome woman -- The Empress does not admire the instinct -- William I. of Prussia acts as comforter -- The hunt -- Actors, "supers," and spectators -- "La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas" -- The Imperial procession -- The Empress's and Emperor's unpunctuality -- Louis-Napoleon not a "well-dressed man" -- The Empress wished to get back before dark -- The reason of this wish -- Though unpunctual, punctual on hunt-days -- The police measures at those gatherings -- M. Hyrvoix and M. Boitelle -- The Empress did not like the truth, the Emperor did -- Her anxiety to go to St. Lazare 304

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