The dogs now entered upon the scene. The por-
tions of the deer's body, the quarry, which were to
be given to them were hidden under the animal's
skin, while the huntsman displayed to the eager
hounds the head of the animal. Then the horns
sounded and their notes were mingled with the yelp-
ing of the impatient dogs. Twice the whip fell and
the animals rushed to the prostrate body of the dead
deer. Then the whip was raised and the growling
dogs were forced to draw back. But at length the
hallali, or whoop, sounded and the huntsmen pulled
off the skin, when the dogs with a furious barking
flung themselves upon the feast of meat, fighting
and biting in an inextricable heap. The huntsmen
and footmen stood by, whip in hand, in order to pre-
vent the fighting from becoming too serious, while
the horns, at the far end of the court, sounded the
stirring airs of the chase. The whole scene was most
moving, picturesque and not soon to be forgotten. I
never hear these horns now, at some dog-show or
over the fields from some distant hunt, that I am not
carried immediately back to those closing hours of
these fine imperial hunts forty years or more ago."



CHAPTER Xni

COURT ENTERTAINMENTS

Though the more frivolous side of life may have
monopolized most of the time and attention of the
Court, especially at Saint Cloud, Fontainebleau and
above all at Compiegne, still serious things were not
wholly neglected. Politics occupied much attention,
particularly that of the Emperor and the ministers ;
nor were the demands of rehgion overlooked. The
church was never forgotten in the midst of the
festivities of Court life, and the Emperor, and the
Prince Imperial as he grew older, earnestly sec-
onded Eug'enie^s acts in this direction. Though
Napoleon III may have been more or less Voltairian
at moments and in the company of men, still, as a
monarch of an officially Catholic nation, he recog-
nized thoroughly the necessity of performing, at
least publicly, all that the rules and ceremonies of
Eome demanded.
