CHAPTER XIII. FROM THE WAR TO M. MOHL'S DEATH (1871-1876). Death of Nicholas Tourguénieff-His noble character-Longing for a kitten"Le Chat de Perse"-Illness of the Prince of Wales-State of ParisImportance of sociability-German women-Duc d'Aumale's receptionsGovernment should return from Versailles-Thiers in advance of the nation -Smart handkerchiefs-Hideous fashions-Trouble to reconstruct her society -Projects must be hatched in secret-Exactions of America-Léon SayThiers-England and Louis Napoleon-New gown-Feeling against Germans -Influence of human beings on each other-Love the foundation of all good -Fortitude of the Says-Death of M. Cochin-"Violet, or the Danseuse "Death of Lady C. Locker-Death of Hugo Mohl-Grief of Julius-Money to Viennese children-Beauty of sister-Père Hyacinthe-Helplessness of English people-Periodicals in the Rue du Bac—Horror of marriage without love -Insecurity of French investments-The Droit pushes against Thiers-Lytton Bulwer-Duchess Colonna-Flatness of society-Louis Napoleon did more mischief than the war-Wish to visit Berlin-Delight in conversationKatchimoffski-Death of M. Doudan, of Madame Arconati, and Princess Belgiojoso-Treatment of M. Reynouard by Louis Napoleon—Determines to fight with life-Ampère's love-letters-The Duchesse de Berri-The Branche aînée will never be restored-Death of Madame Pauline de Witt-Grief and fortitude of Guizot-Madame C- -Wonderful singing-Bishop TempleEnglish weddings-Death of Lady W. Russell—Illness of Lady Augusta Stanley-Anxiety of Madame Mohl-State of politics-Destruction of forests -Scarcity of hay-Failing health of Julius Mohl-Visits to KnowsleyLord Odo Russell's singing—Judges and marshals—Curious state of politics -Illness of Julius Mohl-His wife's anxiety-His death. MADAME MOHL wrote of herself, "My head had such a hard squeeze during the troubles that part of it, I believe, oozed out, for I am full of blunders ever since." It is certain that she never entirely recovered from the grief and anxiety which preyed upon her all the more that she did not think it right to complain or to inflict her miseries on her friends. The brightest days of her life, however, were over. Many of the old set were dead; M. Mohl's health was seriously impaired, and his position as a German was no longer quite what it had been in Paris. In London, on the other hand, she had become, by her long stay among us, better and more widely known, and her arrival towards the end of the season was the signal for all sorts of festivities. All who knew her wanted to see her, and all who did not wanted to make her acquaintance. She stayed at the deanery every year, and often with us. It is interesting to turn to the record of the friends we collected to meet her, and yet melancholy, for so many have passed away; for instance, her kind hosts-the dean and Lady Augusta, Mr. Greg, Mr. Brookfield (in whom she particularly delighted), Mr. Russell Gurney, Mr. Merivale, Sir Bartle Frere, Mr. Fergusson, Mr. J. R. Green, Sir Arthur Helps, Mr. Bagehot, etc. We often begged her to come with M. Mohl and live in England. "No, no, my dear," she would say; "it is only because I am a rarity that you make such a fuss about me." Indeed, though her heart was English, her habits were so essentially French, that she would not have been happy here. She would have missed the intimate relations which made for her the charm of society in Paris. The autumn of 1871 was saddened by the death of Nicholas Tourguénieff, a distant relation of Ivan, the author. The two Tourguénieffs went in 1870, during their exile in London, to a lecture on Russia by Mr. Ralston. In the middle of it the lecturer said that the man who had done most and had made the greatest sacrifices for the emancipation of the serfs was present-pointing to Nicholas, who was obliged to stand up and receive the long and hearty cheering of the audience. To Miss E. Martin. November 13, 1871. We have lost M. de Tourguénieff; he died last Friday in the night, without any suffering. He had been in bed some time, and his wife was arranging her bed beside his, towards twelve o'clock, when he cried out, "Oh!" and, on finding him senseless, she thought he had fainted. She called Albert, but he was completely gone. Pierre drove instantly to the town very near, but the doctor who came confirmed it. He had lost his appetite a day or two before, but had argued the whole of the evening with a gentleman I know, on the new law on public instruction just promulgated by Jules Simon, with as much warmth and interest as he could have felt at thirty. He was eighty-two. The gentleman, who is a doctor, said to Albert, "He is astonishing, but I fear he has a little fever." He fell ill in England with tormenting himself about the war, and had an inward bleeding ever since; but he was better. Still Mr. Mohl was anxious. It is supposed something belonging to this caused his death; but it was an easy and a happy death. His whole life had been employed in trying to do good, and it came as natural to him as his breathing. He was the most humane man I ever knew. Adieu, my dear Eleanor ; you will feel for Fanny. DEAREST DEAR, To Lady Augusta Stanley. Paris, Tuesday, November 14, 1871. I was much invigorated by your letter just now, for I was in a low state, Mr. Mohl being gone about an hour to the funeral service of that most excellent of men, M. de Tourguénieff (not Ivan), the old one, whom you knew also a little, but not enough to know all his fine character. He was eighty-two; had been suffering much from weakness and illness for the last ten months, mostly brought on by his taking so much to heart all the distresses of the past year. Before this war he enjoyed the most vigorous old age, had scarcely a grey hair, rode out on horseback every day, and was occupied at home in sorting papers, letters of his brother's, all the recollections about Russia, which would bring additional light on the great object of his life-the freeing of the serfs. His life was devoted to it from twenty to eighty-two. I could cry, I do cry, not from grief but in admiration, while I think and write to you of it. Encouraged in it by Alexander I., after Alexander's death, when he was twenty, he was condemned to death by the old Russian party, the supporters of Nicholas. This happened several years afterwards. On the pretence that he had conspired against Nicholas when he |