CHAPTER the Seventeenth.
A Parisian _Pension_--The Widow of Walewska--Napoleon's Daughter-in-Law--The Changeless--A Moral and Orderly City I I have said that I knew the widow of Walewska, the natural son of Napoleon Bonaparte by the Polish countess he picked up in Warsaw, who followed him to Paris; and thereby hangs a tale which may not be without interest.
In each of our many sojourns in Paris my wife and I had taken an apartment, living the while in the restaurants, at first the cheaper, like the Cafe de Progress and the Duval places; then the Boeuf a la Mode, the Cafe Voisin and the Cafe Anglais, with Champoux's, in the Place de la Bourse, for a regular luncheon resort.
At length, the children something more than half grown, I said: "We have never tried a Paris _pension_." So with a half dozen recommended addresses we set out on a house hunt.
We had not gone far when our search was rewarded by a veritable find.
This was on the Avenue de Courcelles, not far from the Pare Monceau; newly furnished; reasonable charges; the lady manager a beautiful well-mannered woman, half Scotch and half French.
We moved in.

When dinner was called the boarders assembled in the very elegant drawing-room.

Madame presented us to Baron ----.

Then followed introductions to Madame la Duchesse and Madame la Princesse and Madame la Comtesse.

Then the folding doors opened and dinner was announced.
The baron sat at the center of the table.