File:Napoléon III and the Empress Eugénie.jpg

Identifier: lifeintuileriesu00bick (find matches)
Title: Life in the Tuileries under the second empire
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Bicknell, Anna L
Subjects: Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, 1808-1873 France -- Court and courtiers
Publisher: New York : The Century co.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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entirely sur-rounded by wardrobes in plain oak, with slidingpanels, in which all the various articles of clothingwere arranged in perfect order. Four lay-figures,exactly measured to fit the dresses worn by theEmpress, were used to diminish the necessity oftoo much trying on, and also to prepare her toiletfor the day. Orders were given through a speak-ing-pipe in the dressing-room, and the figure camedown on a sort of lift through an opening in theceiling, dressed in all that the Empress was aboutto wear. The object of this arrangement was tosave time, and also to avoid the necessity ofcrushing the voluminous dresses of the period inthe narrow back-staircases. The Empress had a privy purse of 1,200,000 francsa year ($240,000); of this large sum, 100,000 francs($20,000) were devoted to her toilet; the rest waschiefly employed in gifts and charities. It wassaid at that time that a portion was invested; thishas been denied since, although extremely probable,and certainly very justifiable.
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NAPOLEON 111. AND THE EMPRESS EUGENIE. UNDER THE SECOND EMPIRE 41 Twice a year a certain number of her dresseswere discarded, and divided between Pepa andthe other two maids, the former having half. Thiswas extremely profitable, as even the lace trim-mings were not removed—with the exception ofthe broad and very valuable lace, which was ofcourse preserved and transferred from one dress toanother. I remember seeing Pepa in full toi-let (probably one inherited from the Empress),but looking unmistakably plebeian; a small, dark,bony woman of very Spanish type, her large handsin white gloves. She spoke horrible French, andwas evidently a very ordinary person in every re-spect. She followed the Empress to England afterthe fall of the Empire, but died shortly afterward,leaving a comfortable fortune to her heirs. CHAPTER IV Daily life of the Court — Duties of the ladies-in-waiting—Charitiesof the Emperor and Empress — The Prince Imperial — Drivesof the Empress — A rheumatic chambe

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