M O N T M E L L I A N . C H A M B E R R Y .
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blow-pipe, and she sent a present of a necklace
and ear-rings, of her own workmanship,
to the wife of Sully, who had accompanied
him to the siege. This was graciously
accepted, and in return Madame Sully sent
Madame la Commandante a handsome present
of game and wine, with a message
requesting her to obtain permission of the
Governor to visit Madame Sully “ pour
dissiper ensemble les ennuis du siège.”
This was granted, and Madame Brandis
spent three afternoons with Madame Sully.
The crafty Frenchwoman, by the directions
of her husband, insinuated herself into the
good graces of her visitor, and the two
ladies contrived together the terms of capitulation,
as dictated by Sully, to which the
governor was weak enough to accede.
Monsieur Brandis had a conference with
Henry, at the convent of the Dominicans,
and agreed to surrender the castle, though
the works had received no injury, and the
garrison had provisions and ammunition
sufficient to stand a long siege ; so much so,
that Count Biron, when he took possession
of the castle, said that the place would
really have been impregnable, had the
governor done his duty. Despised by the
French army, Brandis hid his disgrace and
treachery in Switzerland, of which he was
a native.
The castle was finally demolished by the
French, in 1703, and has never since been
repaired.
At Montmellian the road to Chamberry
leaves the valley of the Isere, and turns
suddenly to the north, descending gently
into a broad vale, which extends to the lake
of Bouget, the waters flowing northward
into the lake, from whence they pass, by a
short channel, into the Bhone.
We arrived at Chamberry late in the
evening, and alighted at the Hôtel de la
Poste, one of the dearest and worst inns
we met with on the continent. On a second
visit to Chamberry, we were at the
Hôtel de la Parfaite Union, opposite the
cathedral, and were well satisfied with our
quarters. The next morning, at four o’clock,
I heard much noise and bustle in the
streets, and, on looking out of the window,
I was surprised to see the shops open, and
the streets thronged with people, all eagerly
engaged in talking with their neighbours.
No cause can be assigned for opening the
shops at so very early an hour, unless it be
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