Monsieur,
Par ordre de l'Empereur, j'ai l'honneur de vous prévenir que vous êtes invité, ainsi que Madame Ch. Moulton, à passer 9 jours au Palais de Compiègne, du 27 9'bre au 5 décembre.
Des voitures de la Cour vous attendront le 27, à l'arrivée à Compiègne du train partant de Paris à 2 heures 1/2 pour vous conduire au Palais.
Agréez, Monsieur, l'assurance de ma considération très distinguée.
Le Premier Chambellan, V'te de Laferrière.
Monsieur Ch. Moulton.
My father-in-law thought it cost too much—my toilettes, the necessary outlay, and especially the pourboires. He said that it was a lot of money, and added, in his most choice French, "Le jeu [he pronounced it 'jew'] ne valait pas la chandelle." He was right from his point of view, for he had none of the jeu and all of the chandelle. I pined and pouted the whole day, and considered myself the most down-trodden mortal in existence.
Imagine my delight, a few days later, to receive a second document, informing us that our names had been re-entered on the list, and that we were expected, all the same, on the 27th to stay nine days. At the same time there came a note from the Duke de Persigny, in which he said, "Their Majesties desired us particularly to come." And he added: "Tell your father-in-law that the question of pourboires has been settled now and forever. No more pourboires to be given nor taken at Compiègne."
Then Mr. M—— gave his consent, and I was blissfully happy.
It seems that the Emperor's attention had been railed to the many very disagreeable articles in the newspapers on the subject of the extravagant pourboires exacted at Compiègne. The Emperor was very much annoyed, and gave immediate orders to suppress this system, which had been going on for years without his knowledge.