I suppose I must have looked very red, and I certainly was very out of breath, for the Emperor, probably noticing my embarrassment, kindly said, "Don't worry; you are not late." I told him I had been sight-seeing in Compiègne, and I hoped he would forgive me. The Empress smiled and nodded to me in the most gracious manner across the table, as if to put me at my ease. The Emperor told me that he had sent up to Paris for a game of croquet, having heard from Prince Metternich that we all loved so much to play it, adding that he would like to see the game himself. "We are going to have a mock battle this afternoon," said he. "All these generals and officers who are here have come from everywhere to take part I think it will amuse you to see it, if you have never seen anything of the kind." I assured him I had never seen a battle, mock or otherwise, and had no idea what it could be like. "Well, you shall see," he said. "Is there," I inquired, "as much firing as yesterday?" "Much more; but this time with cannons," he replied. "I hope the cannon-balls are also mock," I ventured to say. I told the Emperor of the poetry which Gautier had sent to me, and, having it in my hand, showed it to him, saying, "Ought I to forgive him?" "You ought to forgive him," he said. "This is the most exquisite thing I ever have read." "If your Majesty says so, I will." The manoeuvers were to commence at two o'clock. All the ladies wore their hunting-dresses, and I was proud to don my gold button. The various equipages were waiting to take us to the field. The Duchess de Persigny, Princess Murat, Baron Beyens, the Marquis de Caux, and I got in the same carriage; many of the ladies appeared on horseback. Princess Ghika rode one of the three horses she had brought with her to Compiègne. Madame de Vatry rode one of the Emperor's. All the carriages, on reaching the field where the manoeuvers were to take place, were drawn up in line, in order that every one should have a good view. Then the Emperor and Empress, on their beautiful horses, and the Prince Imperial, full of youthful dignity, on his cream-colored pony, arrived, accompanied by the staff of splendidly uniformed generals and officers, who took up their positions behind their Majesties before the manoeuvers commenced. The Empress looked radiantly beautiful, her well fitting riding-habit showing her fine figure to the greatest advantage. It was, as the Emperor had said, a mock battle, but it seemed to me, not having had much experience in battles, to be very real. Officers careered over the field for dear life; orderlies with enormous flat, four-cornered things flapping across their backs, scurried to and fro; trumpeters sounded bugles, waved flags, and made signals.... What could look more real and less mock than this? It was France _versus_ an imaginary enemy.