lOO THE LIFE O* 



■with horfes, and to take care of mine until I 

 came back; with which requ-ft he co'T'p'ied. 

 I then judged it proper to explain myfeit to my 

 fervant, who decKired himfelf determined to fee. 

 me fafe over the frontiers, or to die by my fide. 

 By ftratagem I paffed Cambrai and Valen- 

 ciennes. Arriving at the gates, I called loudly 

 for the officer of the guard, and telling him 

 that I came from Paris on urgent bulinefs, I 

 demanded, in great feeminghafte, that he would 

 give me one of his guard to condudt me to the 

 Commandant's houfe ; and leaping out of my 

 chaife, directed my fervartt to drive to the poft, 

 and get frefh horfes put to the carriage immedi- 

 ately. By this means I prevented interrogation 

 at the gates ; and when we came to the Com- 

 mandants, who were then men without military 

 knowledge or experience, I pretended to have 

 been ordered to join the army of the North by 

 the Convention, and to inform him that fome 

 troops of the line were on march to join Du- 

 mourier, whom he might expedt in his garrifon 

 in a few days. 



A plaufible ftory was all that was neceflary; 

 and, inftead of demanding my pafs, I was only 

 afked queflions about the death of the King 

 while the horfes were preparing. 



Thus I reached BrulTells, where I confidered 

 myfelf as fafe, having fo many acquaintances j 



but 



