_June 29th._--We went to the _lavoir_ which is at the end of the Avenue de Sceaux. It is covered at both sides, and the water is between. There are boxes full of straw placed along for the women to kneel on. They beat the clothes with wooden things of this shape. When we saw it this time there were twenty women. One [Illustration: shape] good-natured, civil kind of woman took us to see her wash-house, where she made lie. She told us a great deal about the _lavoir_. A porter takes charge of it; the _blanchisseuses_ pay three, and the _bourgeoises_ four sous each time, and so much for line for drying their things upon. It closes at seven o'clock. The people go to the porter and say, 'Place my boxes in such a place for so many,' and then he arranges them accordingly. I took a sketch of the side of the _lavoir_; the people seemed very much amused at it. One disagreeable kind of woman called out, 'Mettez moi en peinture, elle n'est pas gentille, je suis plus gentille qu'elle,' and then she held up her face to show us how pretty she was.[33] She told us to draw a woman with a barrow, and she laughed and said, 'Elle est blanchisseuse de torchons.' [Illustration: LAVOIR] In France they do the things up _very_ well, but in the washing they spoil them very much. They put the clothes into some kind of liquid which brings the colour out, and they beat them almost into holes. A gown of the servants' was quite spoiled. Our washerwoman had a little girl with green bead baskets in her ears. DUCHESSE D'ORLÉANS' FUNERAL--MARRIAGE _July 2nd._--We went to the Avenue de Paris to see the funeral of the Duchesse d'Orléans, which was to come from Paris. It was close weather; one heavy shower came on and obliged us to take shelter under the trees. There was a person sitting on a stone who told us she was reduced, and talked[34] a great deal. There were soldiers along both sides of the avenue as far as the eye could reach. There were a great many cuirassiers; when the sun shone on their steel armour it glittered very much; two of their horses got loose and galloped all the way down. We waited above two hours before the funeral came. First there came three men on horseback, and after them several other men, then several shabby post-chaises, and next the hearse, which was covered with black velvet and silver. After that came guards, pages, people, carriages, etc. The avenue was _crowded_ with people. [Illustration: CUIRASSIER]