The pavilion, or lodge, in which the count had established his
steward, was built a few years before the Revolution. It stood in the
centre of a large garden, one wall of which adjoined the court-yard of
the stables and offices of the chateau itself. Formerly its chief
entrance was on the main road to the village. But after the count's
father bought the building, he closed that entrance and united the
place with his own property.

The house, built of freestone, in the style of the period of Louis XV.
(it is enough to say that its exterior decoration consisted of a stone
drapery beneath the windows, as in the colonnades of the Place Louis
XV., the flutings of which were stiff and ungainly), had on the
ground-floor a fine salon opening into a bedroom, and a dining-room
connected with a billiard-room. These rooms, lying parallel to one
another, were separated by a staircase, in front of which was a sort
of peristyle which formed an entrance-hall, on which the two suits of
rooms on either side opened. The kitchen was beneath the dining-room,
for the whole building was raised ten steps from the ground level.

By placing her own bedroom on the first floor above the ground-floor,
Madame Moreau was able to transform the chamber adjoining the salon
into a boudoir. These two rooms were richly furnished with beautiful
pieces culled from the rare old furniture of the chateau. The salon,
hung with blue and white damask, formerly the curtains of the
state-bed, was draped with ample portieres and window curtains lined
with white silk. Pictures, evidently from old panels, plant-stands,
various pretty articles of modern upholstery, handsome lamps, and a
rare old cut-glass chandelier, gave a grandiose appearance to the room.
The carpet was a Persian rug. The boudoir, wholly modern, and furnished
entirely after Madame Moreau's own taste, was arranged in imitation of