The Bureau subjected their belongings to interminable inspections, making their exit from the port slow, indeed. Darcy was grateful for the advice he had received from Mr. Gardiner, that he carry sufficient letters of recommendation, as well as the obligatory passports and bills of health. His own expectation that his being a gentleman would prevent lengthy interrogation and inspection was soon proved to be entirely illusory. The Darcys’ luggage that had been packed and stown with such care, was now ruthlessly and carelessly thrown onto the shore, and forced to expel its contents by rough and dirty hands. The two lady’s maids were justifiably horrified at the devastation soon to result from such heedlessness, and, as soon as they could recover the use of their brains and limbs from the shock of such an iniquity, attempted to interfere with the progress of the agents. Georgiana’s maid, Adéle, was soon shouting at the officers with such rapidity and vehemence that the general purport of her tirade could not be completely understood, even by Georgiana. During this altercation, Lizzy’s maid was simultaneously shouting at the top of her voice at the men in English, and both women were variously and violently pointing at each other, the baggage, and the officers. The ladies were surprisingly effective, and managed to stop most of the cloathing and other valuables from being removed from their original positions. Elizabeth viewed the maids’ audacity with some amusement, and a great deal of grateful appreciation, asking Mr. Darcy if he did not agree that their epithets and outraged gesticulations had intimidated the officers, with the result that the agents left off their depredations rather sooner than otherwise might have been the case.

CHAP. 24.

EXCEPTING THE CUSTOMS-MEN, the French were, as repute would have it, very polite; even the most humbly dressed was not without an astonishing grace of address and a becoming courtesy of manner. The second impression of the Darcys was to cover their faces with their handkerchiefs against the smell! The wind had been blowing away from the ship, and so it was not until they were landed and were in the shelter of the quay that they saw and smelt France. Darcy further observed, standing amidst their fellow-passengers crowded onto the tiny landing, that von Metternich had spoken the truth in his claim, “It is raining Englishmen” in France. Elizabeth laughed, suggesting as they were surrounded by so many English, that an impromptu rendition of “God Save the King” en masse before distributing themselves amongst their various paths through and out of Calais would not be malapropos.