By this time the carriage had reached the chateau, where Pierre, in a
fine new livery--and a tremor of delight--was waiting to receive them.
After an affectionate, as well as respectful, greeting from the faithful
old servant, they entered the grand portico, which had been, like all
the rest, admirably restored, and, alighting from the carriage, paused a
moment to admire its magnificent proportions ere they passed on into the
frescoed hall, where eight or ten tall lackeys were drawn up in line,
and bowed profoundly to their new master and mistress. Skilful artists
had retouched the ancient frescoes, and made them glow with all their
original brilliant tints. The colossal figures of Hercules were still
supporting the heavy cornice, and the busts of the Roman emperors looked
out majestically from their niches. Higher up, the vine climbing on
its trellis was as luxuriant as in the olden time, and there were no
unsightly stains on the bright blue sky of the vaulted roof to mar its
beauty. A like metamorphosis had been worked everywhere--the worm-eaten
woodwork had been renewed, the uneven floors relaid, the tarnished
gilding restored to its original splendour--and the new furniture
throughout had been made exactly like the old that it replaced.
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