M. Fauigny paid me a visit this morning: I did not see him. CHAPTER XXI. _August 1st._--Our fine weather still continues--with the exception of one or two days, we have scarcely had any rain since we arrived here. Our army is breaking up from hence and going into Normandy. Some of our troops of horse-artillery marched the day before yesterday, and yesterday some regiments of cavalry. The infantry are also preparing for their departure. Ross’s troop and mine, belonging to the reserve, are to remain in the neighbourhood of Paris. This appearance of peace has, I suppose, induced the Beguines, or Sœurs de la Charité, to return to the village, much to our annoyance; for their house is the one in which we mess, and where Ambrose and Maunsell live. Five of the sisterhood called on me this morning for the purpose of obtaining the restoration of their house, and permission to return and inhabit it. I was at breakfast, but these good dames would take no refusal, and William was obliged to show them up. My little room was crammed. I have always up to this date associated most inseparably in my mind youth and beauty with the term nun. It was, therefore, not without some trifling emotion that I awaited the five nuns whom William had announced, and heard them bustling along the narrow bricked passage leading from the head of the stairs to my room. Such being the case, it may easily be imagined that it was not without disappointment I saw entering, one after another, four ugly old women, in shabby black dresses, and at the same time became sensible of a very unpleasant odour accompanying the ladies. All this was enough; and, in the politest manner possible, I hastened to meet their wishes as soon as known, in order to get rid of them. Here I reckoned without my host. The good dames found my politeness so winning, that they were in no hurry to move, nor did they until they had inflicted on me the whole history of their adventures and sufferings from the first invasion by the Allies last year down to last night. When, at length, they did depart, I thought I could never sufficiently inhale the fresh air of heaven. Having got rid of the ladies, after visiting the parade (which we hold in the park of the great chateau), I rode to St Ouen and Clichy. In the last and neighbourhood our fifth division is quartered, and I was astonished to see the Prussian-like manner in which the place is occupied. One very handsome villa I visited had its pretty pleasure-ground trampled and spoiled as much as the chateau at Stain; and, to my surprise, in the house I found two formerly splendid _salons_ converted into stables, and actually occupied by officers’ horses. I don’t know what the Duke will say when he comes to know this. The neighbourhood of Clichy is pretty--all villas and gardens, &c.