The Empress appeared also in a green dress, with a coquettish three- cornered hat trimmed with gold braid, and looked bewitchingly beautiful; the Emperor wore a shooting suit with leather gaiters, as did all the gentlemen. Every one looked very sportsmanlike. M. Davilliers gave me his arm for _déjeuner_. He told me a great deal which I did not _want_ to know about hunting-dogs. For instance, "Les chiens anglais," he said, "étaient très raillants, très perçants, mais hésitants dans les fourrés." So much Greek to me, but I pretended to understand. He continued to say that the Emperor had an excellent trainer, who obtained the best results because he treated the dogs with kindness. I inwardly applauded the trainer. He said it was better to let them have the entire use of their faculties; whereas, if the unhappy animals are stupefied by bad treatment they lose their _initiative_, being pursued by the thought of a beating, and they don't know what to do, instead of following their natural instincts. I agreed with him entirely, and thought that our conversation was an excellent preface to the afternoon's sport. As the Emperor passed me, before we started off, he said, handing me a little package he held in his hand, "Here is the gold button which you did not have last night; it makes you a life member of all Imperial hunts." (So Prince Metternich's ruse had succeeded.) I bowed very low and thanked him, and asked if it would necessitate my hunting. "Certainly not, if you don't want to," his Majesty answered; "but have you ever seen a _chasse à tir_?" At my answer that I had never seen one, nor anything nearer to one than people going out with a gun and coming back with nothing else, he laughed and said, "I must tell that to the Empress." It is the Emperor's habit to say, when he hears anything which amuses him, "I must tell that to her Majesty." She is always in his thoughts. I said, looking at the button, "Last year your Majesty gave me a gold medal for singing a _Benedictus_; now I shall sing a hallelujah for this." "It is not worth so much," the Emperor said, with a kind smile. "Would you like to accompany me this afternoon," he asked, "and see for yourself what a _chasse à tir_ is?" I answered that I should be delighted, and said, "Shall I come with a gun?" "Oh dear, no! Please don't!" the Emperor exclaimed, hurriedly. "But come with stout boots and a warm coat." The carriages were waiting, and we were soon packed in our rugs and started for the shooting. The Emperor drove Baron Beyens in his dog-cart; the Empress drove with the Princess Metternich in a victoria to the field, where she left her and returned to the chateau. I fancy she was afraid of the dampness of this bleak November day.