The other Orleans princes also returned to France, and remained there until 1883, when the Minister of War, following the policy of Napoleon III., declared it undesirable to have the princes serving in the army.
The Duke's name was struck off the army-roll by that General Boulanger who made such a stir in France at that time. All the commissions held by the Orleans princes were cancelled, and the whole family once more banished from France.
A few weeks after the Duke had left France, the French people were somewhat ashamed to learn that this man, whom they had twice hounded out of the country, had returned good for evil, and made a present to the nation, or rather to the Institute of France, of his beautiful chateau of Chantilly.
The Institute laid the matter before the Government, and asked that the decree of exile be revoked.
After some time this was done, and the Duke returned to France to live in Chantilly, which, by the terms of his gift, he was at liberty to use during his lifetime.
The Duke was seventy years of age. His death was caused by the news that the Duchess d'Alençon, a favorite niece of his, had been burnt to death in a dreadful fire which has just occurred in Paris.
Some charitable ladies organized a bazaar for the benefit of sick women and children.
The great ladies of France were interested in it, and its opening was one of the fashionable events in Paris.
One afternoon during the progress of the bazaar, when the place was full of visitors, and many of the greatest ladies in French society were in the building, buying and selling, a cry of fire was raised, and it was found that one of the stalls was in flames.
Unhappily, there was but one exit to the building, and the fire spread so rapidly that it was impossible for all to escape. A number of the ladies were burned to death.