Chapter II: Part 2

There are several ways of playing at Hide-and-Seek: sometimes one of the children went and hid herself in a dark corner, as far as she could from the others, but always within a certain distance; the others then ran about in every direction within this space to find her, and the one who succeeded in doing so, concealed herself in her turn in the best hiding-place she could find. The ladies’-maids, and some of the other female domestics, exerted their skill to aid those who wished to hide, in discovering the most secret corners; but care was always taken to avoid all dangerous places, as, for example, steep stairs, from whence they might have been precipitated at the moment when they were on the point of being seized.

Another way of playing at hide-and-seek, is to form a circle, and to set a person to seek through it for a particular object, which each of the others contrives to conceal from her view; a pocket-handkerchief, a snuff-box, or, in short, any toy or trinket, will serve for this purpose. Formerly they used to make use of a slipper, but always upon the express condition, that it should be very clean: this is, however, a shabby sort of expedient, and ought to be proscribed in good company: when it is adopted the game is called _Hunt-the-Slipper_.

Our readers will readily conceive, that the Misses D’Hernilly and their companions, did not condescend to hunt the slipper: but when they were tired of hide-and-seek in the way we have described, they seated themselves in a semi-circle upon the grass, in a very picturesque part of the garden, where flowers, of the most varied and beautiful hues, at once delighted the eyes, and gave a delicious fragrance to the air.

Mademoiselle Valeria, one of the new comers, voluntarily offered to play the dull part of the seeker. A young lady went round the circle holding up the drapery of her shawl, in order that Mademoiselle Valeria, who held her hand before her eyes, promising at the same time not to cheat, might not see to whom she gave the handkerchief.

As soon as she had given it, she cried aloud, “It is done;” at this cry, Mademoiselle Valeria began the round; the pocket-handkerchief which she pursued with ardour, circulated rapidly from hand to hand, and was concealed by the players in the folds of their dress. It is necessary for the seeker to guess exactly who the person is who holds it, and to seize her in the act. Poor Valeria found it very difficult to do this, for at the moment that she thought herself sure of finding the handkerchief, the one who held it slily slipped it to another, and it arrived in the twinkling of an eye, at the very extremity of the circle.

After a long and vain search, Valeria succeeded at last in seizing the handkerchief in the hand of Adela, who being now obliged to become a seeker in her turn, retired to a fountain, and turning her back to her companions, waited till it was time to begin the search. She did not wait long, the signal was speedily given, and, more lucky than Valeria, she was only a few minutes before she succeeded in discovering and seizing the handkerchief. A third and a fourth speedily took her place in turn. At last, Ernestina suffered the handkerchief to be found in her possession. This was a real triumph to all the rest, because Ernestina was supposed to understand the game better than any of them, and she was, besides, very active, so that it was extremely difficult to catch her; in fact, she would have escaped then, if a mischievous neighbour had not purposely been too long in receiving the handkerchief which she passed to her.

They cried bravo on all sides, and mischievously determining to tease Ernestina, they formed a little plot against her, while she was standing on one side, waiting for the game to begin. The hour approached for leaving off play, and they quickly agreed to finish with a little cheating trick. The pocket-handkerchief for which Ernestina was to seek, was placed at a great distance under a tuft of flowers, and they made believe to pass it from hand to hand. Ernestina was completely duped by this stratagem; her young friends’ hands moved with so much rapidity that she never perceived they passed nothing; for, to render the illusion more complete, they every now and then shewed her the corner of a gown, the end of a shawl, or sometimes another handkerchief. Ernestina eagerly caught hold of what she saw; but she was soon made sensible of her error, by long and loud bursts of laughter. However, she took these disappointments very gaily, and passed rapidly on, first to the right, and then to the left, till she became fatigued and out of breath. The mirth of her young friends grew more noisy; their suppressed laughter and whisperings, and perhaps also some inadvertence on the part of the youngest players, warned her at last, that they were making game of her. “I am certain,” cried she, “that the handkerchief is at a distance from this spot, and that you only make believe to pass it, and that is not the game.” They were obliged then to confess the trick they had played her. Ernestina was half inclined to be angry; but she had been often told that ill-humour alters the prettiest features; and perhaps this idea had some share in making her quickly get the better of hers; for she immediately resumed her gaiety, and returned to the castle, saying that she should one day take her revenge. Her comrades defied her to realize her threats; when she promised them that they would be caught sooner than they expected. Perhaps, after all, she was herself the first who was caught; for at her age we are easily deceived, because the credulity, natural to youth, lays us open to imposition.

Madame D’Hernilly, to whom Ernestina related her adventure, laughed very heartily at it, and said it was not the first time people sought to discover mysteries, where there were none. She gave, as an example of this, the following singular anecdote of the celebrated Catherine II., Empress of Russia. This sovereign was one day surrounded by some of the gravest of her courtiers, and becoming tired of their pedantic dissertations, she said, “Permit me, gentlemen, to interrupt for a moment the important discussion in which you are engaged, in order to consult you about a charade which I have read in the last _Mercure de France_, and which I cannot solve. It is this; ‘my first is a cavity, my second is a cavity, my whole is a cavity.’”

Our statesmen, with all the suppleness of true courtiers, turned their conversation immediately from politics to the charade. Nothing could be more easy than to find hollow objects, which might be supposed to form one of its three parts; but they tried in vain to discover any term which could be applied to the whole. The Empress made a pretence to slip out of the room, leaving her counsellors profoundly occupied with their endeavours to solve the charade, which they were heartily vexed at being unable to do at last. The next day, however, they discovered that the Empress had merely been amusing herself at their expense, for they found that there was no such charade in the latest _Mercure de France_, which had arrived at St. Petersburgh.

This was not the only time that Catherine sought, by jokes of this kind, to divert the ennui attendant upon a throne; and to lighten the painful yoke of _etiquette_. We might relate more than one trick of this sort which she has played, not merely upon different persons, but very often upon the inhabitants of a whole city. On more than one occasion, the people of the capital have tormented themselves during whole days to discover the solutions of problems and enigmas, which in reality had no meaning.

BLINDMAN’S BUFF, AND HOT-COCKLES.

The next day the family were once more alone, and the young people were obliged to find out games which did not require such a considerable number of players. Blindman’s Buff was the first that was chosen by this joyous little group. Adriana, as the youngest, had her eyes bound, and ran after her companions. Madame D’Hernilly took upon herself to call out, in order to warn the one who was blinded, when she approached too near a tree, or any other object that might endanger her safety. Adriana ran about during some time without catching any body; at last Ernestina suffered herself to be caught, out of compassion no doubt, and she pursued her young friends in her turn. This play lasted the greatest part of the day, but a storm coming on towards evening forced them to seek a shelter, and they retired to the drawing-room. As they complained of being obliged to leave off their game, Adela advised them to continue it in the hall, which was very spacious.

Madame D’Hernilly disapproved of this proposal, because she thought the game would endanger the furniture; but being always desirous to contribute to the amusement of the children, she told them that they might play at _Blindman’s Buff sitting_. This game is not attended with any risk to the furniture, and may be played without inconvenience even in a small room; it is besides more amusing perhaps than the other, particularly if it is played by candle-light.

The young people applauded Madame D’Hernilly’s idea; but they agreed at the same time that they would not begin to play till after dinner. They had scarcely dined when visitors arrived, whose company was almost as tiresome to the mistress of the house, as to the children. Our young readers will easily conceive with what impatience the latter waited for the moment when the departure of the guests, would leave them at liberty to begin their sport. At last it arrived, the visitors retired, and our gay young troop immediately formed themselves into a circle in the middle of the saloon. As Ernestina was to be blinded, they covered her eyes with a muslin handkerchief; every one then changed their place, and she was conducted into the middle of the group, and had the liberty of seating herself upon the knee of whatever person she pleased; but she was obliged, without putting her hands upon the person whom she touched, to guess who it was.

As the young folks were all differently dressed, the touch of their clothes would furnish an easy means of discovering them, but they did every thing in their power to prevent the one who was blinded from profiting by this circumstance: Adriana, who had a plain cambric muslin gown on, drew upon her knees the skirt of her next neighbour’s Merino pelisse. Ernestina deceived by the touch, exclaimed that it was Madame D’Hernilly or Adela; they called out, triumphantly, “Wrong! wrong!” and poor Ernestina had to begin her round again.

This game amused them during the whole evening, and they liked it so much, that in some days afterwards they began to play at it again, with as much eagerness as the first time; but they varied the manner of playing at it, and by so doing, heightened the amusement it afforded them. This new method, which we must call playing blindman’s buff in shadow, was as follows:――

One of the young ladies stood facing the wall, and she was enjoined not to look behind her: an Austral lamp was placed upon a table at the bottom of the saloon, and there was no other light in the room. All the party then passed between the lamp and the person who stood with her face to the wall, so that their shadows fell upon the wall; the lady who stood with her face to it, was obliged to guess as each shadow passed whose it was.

Madame D’Hernilly’s daughters, and their young companions, exerted all their ingenuity to disguise their figures, that they might avoid being caught. At first they passed pretty quickly in succession, because they were not yet well acquainted with the game; but at the fifth or sixth game, when Madame D’Hernilly occupied the post facing the wall, they made use of all the little artifices they could think of to lead her into error. Ernestina, Adela, and Adriana, vied with each other in endeavours to disguise their shadows most effectually. Their postures were so whimsical, that Madame D’Hernilly could not succeed in discovering any one.

To increase the difficulties, they resolved to put a cheat upon her, and slily brought a young servant girl to take a part in the game without her knowledge. This girl presented herself at first with a gardener’s hat on; and presently afterwards, she put on the pouch and belt of the game-keeper, and clapped a villager’s cap upon her head. After that she crawled along upon her hands and feet with a postilion’s jack-boot upon her arms. Madame D’Hernilly was obliged to say that she “_threw her tongue to the dogs_.” This phrase is used to signify that you give up; and uncouth as it sounds in our language, Madame de Sevigné has condescended to employ it in one of her most sprightly letters[3].

They deliberated upon the penance which they should inflict upon Madame D’Hernilly; and they agreed that she should be obliged to embrace those of the company whom she loved best, and that she must do it without making the others jealous. She tenderly embraced her daughters and their young friends; and though her preference for her daughters was too natural to be doubted, they did not perceive that there was any difference in her manner of caressing them, and their companions. She therefore fulfilled the express condition of the penance, which was in fact a pleasure, rather than a penance to her.

They then played one more game; Ernestina soon found herself in the same situation as Madame D’Hernilly, and she was consequently obliged to submit to a penance. They gave her a fable to read, of which the following lines form the concluding moral:

Sometimes smooth and sometimes rough,
Is the game of Blindman’s Buff.
Between the blind and those who see,
It oft produces treachery.
’Twere better then, amid the strife
That mingles in the scenes of life,
As the best guard ’gainst those who flout you,
To keep an open eye, and look about you.

These childish amusements were interrupted for some time by the arrival of a new present from Victor, the kind brother of the Misses D’Hernilly: it consisted of some new music. Their father had added several instructive books to Victor’s gift; and the young ladies were delighted with both. Their occupations now became as serious as possible; they were engaged the whole day at the harp, the piano, and the _Solfeggio_; they hardly allowed themselves even a short interval to walk in the garden, gather flowers, or admire the beauty of the fruits which were approaching to maturity.

If by chance bad weather obliged the company to confine themselves to the drawing-room, the young people read extracts from voyages and travels, written in such a manner as to suit their capacity, divested of those scientific details which are uninteresting to people of the world, and cleared at the same time from all that could be detrimental to the youthful and delicate mind. These extracts united all that is most pleasing in history and romance, and they were free from the dryness of the one, and from all that is dangerous in the other.

One evening Madame D’Hernilly took her work-basket into the park, where she seated herself at the foot of a majestic oak, surrounded by beautiful plane trees, and began to amuse herself with her work. The young visitors, of whom we have spoken, had left the castle for some days, on account of a slight indisposition of their mamma, but they came to pass this evening with Adela and Ernestina. The young people amused themselves with roving about the park; the evening was delightfully serene, the last rays of the setting sun were gradually disappearing before the brilliant disk of the full moon, which arose at the opposite extremity of the horizon in mild and cloudless majesty. The lovely serenity of the scene invited the young friends to the pursuit of rural pleasures, but the heat of the day was not sufficiently abated, to enable them to run about and give themselves up without restraint to active exercise. Madame D’Hernilly found that it was too dark to pursue her embroidery any longer, when the young people came and grouped themselves about her. Adela proposed to return to the house and practise some music. “We should do much better,” cried Adriana, “to stay here.” “But what should we play at then?” cried one of the others. “Oh,” replied Adriana, “at what you will, no matter, provided it is play.” “Let us dance hands round,” said Ernestina. “No,” said Adela, “it is too hot.” “Well then, let us play at blindman’s buff.” “Oh,” cried Adriana, “we have played at that so much; besides, I am always afraid you will cheat me, you know how you caught me the last time.”

Adriana alluded to a little trick which her companions had put upon her. Three weeks before, they played one day at blindman’s buff upon a very extensive lawn, which was surrounded on all sides by gravel walks, where there was no breakneck place to fear. It was expressly settled that they should not go beyond the lawn, and that whoever passed its limits, should be looked upon as caught, and submit to be blinded accordingly.

It was Adriana who was blinded, and on the faith of their agreement, she went quietly groping about for almost a quarter of an hour; meantime, the other rogues all passed the lawn, and mischievously left her to seek them in vain. When she found out the trick she was almost angry, and even Madame D’Hernilly reproached the others gravely for having broken their express agreement.

Ernestina proposed that they should play at a game, the movements of which do not require much activity; it is blindman’s buff with the wand. “What is that?” cried Valeria. “Oh,” said the frolicksome Ernestina, “I will soon shew you.”

They hastened to gather from the banks of a little rivulet which ran through a garden laid out in the English taste, a pliant branch of a weeping willow; they stripped it of all its leaves, and left it about a foot and a half long. They were proceeding to draw lots to ascertain in the usual way who should be blinded; when Ernestina, who was very good-natured, offered of her own accord to take the disagreeable part of the blind one: the others accordingly put a bandage over her eyes, and made sure that she could not see, when they gave her the wand to hold. Each of the others then took hold by turns of the opposite end of the wand, they put it to their lips and whispered a few words, endeavouring at the same time to disguise their voices. Ernestina who had proposed the game, and who was supposed to be well acquainted with it, became the victim of her good-nature, for she remained a long time unable to guess at any of the whisperers; she was lucky enough, however, to succeed at last, and each of the others were obliged to submit to be blinded in their turn.

Adriana shewed a good deal of cleverness at this game, and managed for a long time to avoid being caught; at last, the one who was blinded contrived by a little sly trick to make her betray herself. She threw her off her guard, and in her surprise, she spoke without disguising her voice; she was consequently immediately recognised, and triumphantly seized. It was Ernestina who played this trick, which Adriana resolved should not pass unrevenged, and accordingly she made use of every effort to catch Ernestina, who being the cleverest of the party contrived for a long time to escape. Adriana might easily have seized upon Adela, or Valeria, but it was Ernestina only that she wished to catch, and at last she succeeded.

When Ernestina’s eyes were bandaged, Adriana went to Madame D’Hernilly, who had till then remained seated at some distance without taking any share in the game, but at the desire of Adriana, she now drew near and held the wand. While she thus stood facing Ernestina, she remained silent, and the adroit Adriana, who was close to her, muttered a few words, interrupted every now and then by a titter. As Ernestina knew nothing of Madame D’Hernilly’s holding the wand, she guessed repeatedly, but always in vain. At last, wearied out with her ill luck, she declared she gave it up, and Adriana to complete her little revenge, acknowledged the stratagem she had practised, saying, “So you see, Ernestina, the plotter is caught in his own trap.” This joke terminated their sport at blindman’s buff, but as it was yet too early for them to retire to their apartments, they determined to finish the evening with another game; and they made choice of Hot-cockles. Madame D’Hernilly, who wished to put an end to their little tricks of deceiving and cheating one another, practices which we hope our young readers will condemn as being highly improper, determined to play herself the part of the _confessor_; each of the young people came in succession, and placing her hand upon Madame D’Hernilly’s lap, spread her right hand upon her back, and remained in this position which is called, being the _penitent_, till she could guess who struck her.

The rules of this game are extremely simple, but there is one precaution necessary in playing it, that of not striking too violently. Excesses of this sort were not much to be apprehended where the players were all young ladies; however, we must confess, that some of them felt inclined to give heavy blows; Madame D’Hernilly, who saw this, took great care to rein in their impetuosity. She obliged them also to the strict observance of the rules, one of which was, that two persons should never strike at the same time. Whenever this happened, the person who gave the last blow, ought to take the place of penitent; and Madame D’Hernilly took care always to inflict the penalty with inflexible severity.

While they were at play, the nursery-maid came to tell them that supper was ready. Ernestina wanted her to hide behind a bush for a little while, and then to strike Adriana, who, of course, would be a long time before she could guess who gave the blow. Madame D’Hernilly, who regretted having in a former instance lent herself to a deception, even though it was an innocent one, would not permit this little deceit to be practised. She broke up the game, and the children found, in their light and simple supper, a refreshment after the fatigues of play. They then retired to bed, where exercise, combined with their temperate repast, ensured them good repose.

Place this among the golden rules,
Which you may learn in moral schools;
When you receive a secret blow
Be sure that you can name the foe;
Nor let Suspicion’s vain pretence,
Risque your revenge on Innocence.

There is also another description of hot-cockles, called “Brother, they strike me.” There are two penitents, the one who finds himself touched with the corner of a pocket-handkerchief, calls out to the other, “Brother, they strike me.” The other replies, “Who strikes you?” and the first one must guess. But one of the players is a false brother; sometimes he himself strikes, and sometimes his companion; he takes care not to name himself. The game does not finish till the person upon whom the trick is played perceives the cheat; but if his comrades are clever, the illusion may last a good while. The false brother complains that they strike him too violently, and is the first to call out and to complain of the trick. At the expiration of a certain time he gives up to another, who purposely allows himself to be caught; and this serves to prolong the joke and the game. At last they own to their deceived comrade, the trick they have been playing him, and they comfort him by telling him, that in future he may catch others in the same manner.

[3] The letter in which Madame de Sevigné speaks of the
marriage of De Lauzun with Mademoiselle D’Orléans.

THE HOOP AND THE SKIPPING-ROPE.

A complete change took place at the Castle of D’Hernilly; the master of the house and his son arrived to pass the vacation at the castle. The gentry of the neighbourhood also hastened there to enjoy the last fine days of autumn. Several young companions of Victor renewed their acquaintance with him, and they gave themselves up to games much less sedentary than those played by the ladies. The young people of both sexes very rarely met during the week-days, but they walked and conversed together on the Sundays and holidays; sometimes during the latter they amused themselves with country-dances in a temporary ball-room raised in a grove. Victor, who played very well on the flute, was occasionally one of the musicians, but more frequently appeared among the dancers.

When the boys had a holiday, they amused themselves in the park with noisy sports, such as prison bar, leap frog, _le cheval fondu_, &c. &c. The little ones played at the poison ball, the skipping-rope, and the hoop. Madame D’Hernilly’s daughters were very frequently the witnesses of these sports; they admired the cleverness which the boys shewed, but they did not envy them their amusement.

One day, Victor and his friends went with their preceptor, a walk of some miles to join in a village feast. Adriana and Ernestina found in the hall several of their playthings mingled with the books, maps, &c., which they used at their studies. Among the rest they found a hoop, and a skipping-rope. They were impatient to try whether they could use these with any dexterity; though at the same time, they were a little ashamed to be seen at such masculine exercises. Their young neighbour Valeria conquered their scruples; she said, that she had been in a school where the young ladies were permitted to play at these games, because their governess considered that they afforded a healthful exercise, but the players were obliged to observe that moderation, which the delicacy of their sex, as well as their tender age, required.

They found Valeria’s reasoning very good, and they determined to practise the games with that moderation which she recommended. The weather, which till then had been very warm, changed on a sudden; a cold sharp wind had succeeded to the most suffocating heat. Nothing could be more healthful, therefore, than those games which required activity.

As there were only two hoops, they resolved to make use of them by turns. Each had recourse to the assistance of a stick to enable her to manage the hoop, which she trundled sometimes forward, sometimes on one side, and sometimes she turned it round. It was agreed that the game should be adjudged to be won, by the lady whose hoop arrived first at the goal without its having fallen to the ground.

This was a matter which could not be managed without great difficulty, on account of the turnings and windings which they had to pass; the trees, hedges, and other obstacles also made the hoop upset every moment. Added to this, the young ladies in imitation of what they had seen their brothers do, were mischievous enough to try to take advantage of those who played with them, and by pushing their hoops a contrary way, to occasion those of their competitors to fall, in order that they themselves might have a better chance of being first at the goal.

While two of them were amusing themselves at this game, the others having seized on a skipping-rope, made their young friends skip alternately. The two young ladies who held the cord moved it circuitously, but gently; a third, and sometimes several of them jumped with their feet close together through it. Sometimes they practised the most difficult steps which they had learned from their dancing-master, or tried who could rise the highest from the ground in cutting capers. The most boisterous endeavoured to imitate the boys, and like them they asked for _vinegar_, that is the term which they use when they want the rope to go more quickly.

When Victor and his companions returned, they were quite delighted to find that the young ladies had been playing at their games. Victor proposed the next day that they should all play together; but the young ladies very properly refused. They contented themselves with being spectators. The boys, who were some of them first-rate players both at the hoop, and the rope, shewed considerable skill and strength. Victor excelled in the double leaps, the chevaliers or knights’ cross, and he even performed several triplets with infinite grace and lightness.

The player who performed, without interruption, the greatest number of the knights’ double crosses, won the game. The cord turned with so much swiftness in Victor’s hands, that you could hardly believe he held it if you had not heard it whiz in the air, for it passed between his feet and the floor of the apartment without touching either, and it was almost imperceptible to the sight.

When they had each amused themselves singly, as long as they liked with the rope, they formed into groups of six or eight, to dance in the middle of the long skipping-rope. The first who touched the rope with his foot stopped the play; he was obliged, by way of penance, to stand on one side, and was left out of the game till some one else had failed in it.

THE ROPE.

Masters and misses, by your leave,
I beg this kind advice to give;
Whate’er your games, whate’er your plays,
Let them no rival anger raise.
But play as sisters should with brothers;
For recollect this wholesome truth,
To man as useful as to youth;
Ambition’s drum, and Fancy’s toy
Excite the man and charm the boy;
But know, you dear, delightful elves,
You ne’er can truly please yourselves,
While you give pain to any others.

Two may play together with the same rope, each of them holding one end, one with the right, and the other with the left hand. We must, however, observe, that they cannot do in this manner, either the double turns, or the knights’ cross; it would be difficult, if not impossible. It is necessary to move so as to keep time exactly; both parties must also turn the rope with the same degree of swiftness. When the movements of the players are perfectly in unison, they may overrun a good deal of ground without the motion of the cord being interrupted.

The Misses D’Hernilly, to whom this idea had been communicated, took advantage of it to run races with the rope. Nothing could be more graceful than their manner of performing those races; several grown-up people, who were lookers-on, agreed that the skipping-rope, thus used, was as conducive to health, as it was useful in giving the young ladies an easy and graceful carriage, and that they might amuse themselves with it not only without impropriety, but with advantage.

BOWLS, NINE-PINS, AND SIAM.

The premature coldness of the air forced the company at the Castle to renounce all sedentary amusements. While the ladies and gentlemen occupied themselves with billiards; the boys played at bowls, ball, humming-top, and German top. The young ladies got hold of the bowls and nine-pins. They were lucky enough to discover three places which had been purposely adapted for this amusement, in a part of the garden which was very little frequented by Victor and his companions. Some of them, who did not like bowls, amused themselves with playing at Puss-in-the-Corner. (_See the Frontispiece._)

The ground destined for this game was a straight path, which had on each side a small bank, to hinder the bowl from running out of the path. They divided the bowls equally, and they drew lots to determine how they were to play. The lady, who drew Number one, threw the _jack_, that is to say, the only small bowl at a distance; the _jack_ is regarded as the goal; the player then rolled one of her bowls as near as she could to it. Number two came next; the one who drew it, tried to approach still nearer to the goal, or to displace the bowl which the preceding player had thrown. Numbers three and four followed in their turn.

Instead of each playing upon their own account, the best method is to form two parties, every member of each party having the same interest. The art of the game consists sometimes in _drawing_; that is to say, to drive at a distance the adversary’s bowl, if it has approached very near the goal, in order that the player who follows you, may be able to get nearer the goal than your adversary.

While the Misses D’Hernilly and their young companions were playing at this game, they were frequently teased by their nursery governess, who kept calling out to them, “Take care, young ladies, you will dirty your clothes.” They often disputed which had won the game by approaching nearest the goal; and as, on these occasions, there was sometimes less than half an inch difference, the thing was not easily determined.

Speaking of this game, reminds us of a strange circumstance which happened to the celebrated Marshal Turenne. As he was one day walking upon the ramparts of a city in which his troops then were, without servants, or any mark of distinction, he was accosted by a group of workmen who were playing at bowls, and who begged that he would decide a difference which had arisen between them about the game. The Marshal measured the distance with his cane, and then pronounced judgment. The man against whom he had decided, revenged himself by abuse. The Marshal smiled, which irritated the angry player still further. At this moment, the officers belonging to the Marshal’s suite, came up and addressed him as my lord; the poor workman, equally frightened and ashamed when he found whom he had insulted, threw himself at Turenne’s feet, to implore his pardon. The Marshal raising him, said kindly, “My friend, you were wrong in supposing I would deceive you.”

Our young players had very seldom any dispute at nine-pins, for it was easy to reckon the nine-pins that were thrown down, and those which remained standing. Madame D’Hernilly put the young ladies in mind of an anecdote which is related in the memoirs of the younger Racine. The great poet Boileau became disgusted with poetry in his old age, and grew passionately fond of nine-pins. Such was his address, that sometimes he threw down the nine with one stroke. “Acknowledge,” cried he one day, “that I possess two great talents, which are equally useful to the state and to society; that of playing at nine-pins to perfection, and that of writing tolerable verses.”

When the game is played with small nine-pins, and that you throw the bowl only a short distance, the players throw alternately; but it more frequently happens, that a player has two throws running, and this is the manner in which they proceed. Number one throws his bowl at a distance to the place marked for the goal; he must, in this first throw, knock down at least one pin, otherwise he is obliged to remain there for a time; this is what they call making _white cabbage_, and he gives up the turn to the player on the opposite side. But if he has thrown down one or two pins, and particularly that in the middle, which alone reckons for nine points, he throws a second time, throwing the bowl from the place in which it has previously stopped. He then reckons the points he has gained, and leaves the place to Number two, and so on. The grand difficulty of this game is not to make more points than is necessary: the number is usually 21; and if, after having gained 19 points, you happen to throw down two pins, you win the game; but if you are so unlucky as to throw down three or four, you _burst_, and are obliged to begin the game again. This occasions great variety, and renders the strength of the two players equal. It requires a great deal of practice to enable you to gain the dexterity necessary to knock down at once a considerable number of nine-pins, and you can never be certain of throwing down one, two, or three, just at the moment you wish.

Adriana had less taste than the others for this game, it required too much precision; and, at the same time, a degree of strength above her age.

Ernestina, Valeria, and the rest of the eldest girls, received, about this time, a present of a set of nine-pins, of a different sort from those we have been speaking of. They compose the game called _Siam_. You lose at it, also, by making too many points; and you are then said, as in the other, to _burst_. Your fate is decided more frequently by chance at _Siam_ than at nine-pins, for you cannot always guide the quoit at will, which serves to throw down the pins. The quoit is made of a hard close wood, the edge of it is cut a little sloping, so as to describe a curve it is directed circularly either to the right or to the left.

This game is very common in India, and as it was introduced into France during the reign of Louis XIV., by people in the suite of the ambassador of Siam, who was at that time at the Court of Versailles, it has retained the name of their country.

The nine-pins are not all of the same value; those which are ranged in a circle reckon each for one point; three others which form the point of the opposite side count for 5, 4, and 3; the one in the middle is called the Siam, but it is necessary to throw that down by itself, otherwise the player loses all the points he has gained before, and is obliged to begin again.

The rock upon which the player is apt to split, is, as we have already said, the going beyond the number of points fixed upon; and no skill can avert this danger which may arise from the slightest chance, such as the least unevenness of the ground, or even a little sand upon the quoit; from causes thus trivial, the game is frequently lost, just at the moment that the player appears to be on the point of gaining it.

Our young people amused themselves, for the rest of the autumn, with a review of the games which had delighted them during the spring and summer; they returned to the capital in the beginning of November. The young ladies eagerly resumed the lessons which they took from their different masters. Victor, who for the first time, obtained a prize at the University, entered into a higher class, where he strove with a laudable emulation to surpass his fellow collegians. The Misses D’Hernilly, instructed by the first masters in the knowledge of languages, and in every other accomplishment suitable to their rank, passed their leisure hours in society, selected for them by their mother, and chiefly under her own eye. Between study and relaxation their time flew rapidly, but both the young ladies and their brother, often recollected with pleasure, the amusements they had enjoyed at the castle D’Hernilly, and looked forward with delight, although without impatience, to the period when returning to the country they should once more resume their healthful and exhilarating sports.

Thus in their early season, gay,
In life’s delightful month of May,
Between those necessary hours,
When kind instruction gravely pours
Its various lessons on the mind,
Of knowledge useful or refin’d:
Thus female youth their time employ,
To strengthen _Health_ or waken _Joy_,
While Reason’s rip’ning state prepares
For other pleasures, other cares.

THE END.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY W. CLOWEN, NORTHUMBERLAND-COURT.

Transcriber's Note:

Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like this_. Dialect, obsolete and alternative spellings were left unchanged.

Obvious printing errors, such as backwards, upside down, or partially printed letters, were corrected. Unprinted letters and punctuation were restored.

Footnotes were numbered sequentially and moved to the end of the chapter in which the related anchor occurs.

Descriptions of illustrations were added.

The following were changed:

d’Hernilly to D’Hernilly: …D’Hernilly expressed her admiration…
comma to stop: …another a shuttlecock. This game…
claok to cloak: …taking off his cloak…
stop to comma: …Whenever this happened, the person who…
colon to semi-colon: …Excite the man and charm the boy;…

End of Project Gutenberg's Healthful Sports for Young Ladies, by St. Sernin