[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.