[Illustration: THE CATHEDRAL AT NANTES.] [Illustration: LOUIS XV.] "Aside from Fénelon's influence the prince had much to make him vain. He was once ill, and on his recovery all Paris was filled with rejoicing. An immense crowd gathered around the palace on the eve of St. Louis's Day in honor of the convalescence. As the boy-king stood on the balcony of the palace on the occasion, Marshal Villeroy said to him,-- "'Look at all this company of people: all are yours; they all belong to you; you are their master.' "Think of a boy's being told that the people of Paris belonged to him! "I can wonder at the Reign of Terror, but I cannot be surprised at the Revolution when I view the history of France for the century that preceded it. It is rather a matter of surprise that an enlightened people should have submitted to tyranny so long." Nantes is the Paris of the Loire. Its streets, boulevards, public squares, the forest of masts in the river, and the trees that line its banks, all seem a copy of the bright and gay French capital. Its old cathedral is a queer-looking building, with towers scarcely higher than its roof; but it contains a most beautiful tomb which was erected in memory of Francis II. last Duke of Bretagne. It is adorned with figures of angels, the twelve Apostles, St. Louis, and Charlemagne. One of the most interesting excursions made by the Class from Nantes was to the ruin of the old castle of BLUE-BEARD. There existed, many centuries ago, a ferocious, cruel old lord, whose treatment of his wives and ogre-like tyranny to all around him, gave origin to the thrilling story of Blue-beard; indeed, the story was so nearly true that this old lord was actually called "Blue-beard" by his neighbors, so blue-black was his long and stubby beard. He lived in the old days when barons were fierce and despotic, and shut their wives and daughters up in dark dungeons or high castle casements, and thought little more of ordering a score of peasants off to instant execution than of eating their breakfasts. He was a rich old fellow, and had several castles scattered about the country, whither princes and dukes used to go and visit him, and share in his hunting-parties in the wildwoods. His castles were situated in the province of Brittany, and his real name was one which is still to be found in these secluded regions,--the Sieur Duval. The lapse of time has caused all his fine castles wholly to disappear, with one exception, and it is that which I am about to describe to you. Sieur Duval had his favorite residence on the banks of a lovely little river, about two miles from Nantes. Here he was near town, and might ride in on one of his high-tempered chargers whenever he listed, to join the revels of the dukes, or go wife-hunting.