_21st._--A short march to Beauvais, where we arrived early; and whilst I parked the guns and saw my people put up, Hitchins accompanied F. in search of my quarters. My duty finished, I followed to a handsome house, where I understood they were. Whilst making inquiries under the gateway, Madame herself came out and told me rather angrily that I could have no quarters there, as the colonel (my travelling title) and his lady already occupied all she was bound to furnish. I endeavoured to explain that the gentleman up-stairs was my friend, that I was M. le Colonel, and had sent him to escort my wife, &c. &c. At the word _femme_, the _insolente_ with a sneer turned from me with, “Ah! soi-disante.” A scene occurred; Monsieur himself came out, who I insisted should be responsible for his wife’s tongue. At last they begged pardon, and I mounted the staircase according to direction, and found a most comfortable lodging--two well-furnished rooms and a small cabinet. The people sent up soon after to invite us to dinner, they being ordered to feed us; but we would not go, and made them send dinner up to us. Our rooms had only one drawback--they were rather gloomy, the windows opening upon a courtyard. Stayed three days in Beauvais, during which we lived well at the expense of our host; and having bought some cards, Hitchins came every evening to coffee, and we had a game at casino. Our mornings were passed in visiting the beautiful Gothic cathedral and other churches; the manufactory of tapestry, equalling that of the Gobelins, of which this is a branch; in shopping, and in riding about the neighbouring country, which is pretty--somewhat resembling that about Bath. One evening we went to the play--a dark dismal house, and quite a second-rate set of actors. Don’t know what the piece was, but the humour consisted in the _patois_ of an old Picard servant, who was continually repeating, “Ya! ya! ya! Munsincur!” There were a good many of us--all the officers of Ross’s troop and Dyas’s battery, _par excellence_. The pit was full of French soldiers; yet all went off cheerfully, until our people called for “Vive Henri Quatre,” which these Napoleonists fiercely opposed, and a row ensued, which terminated at last amicably. The ramparts of Beauvais form a delicious promenade, which I enjoyed; whilst F. and Hitchins were gadding about from shop to shop, buying lace, cambric, &c. _22d._--I intended marching forward to-morrow, but Quartermaster Robertson, who was sent on to take up our quarters, returned at midnight with the intelligence that all the villages ahead of us were still full of troops. Relinquished the idea.