Lisle 171 



never possessed such a moment: in my opinion he missed it 

 completely and threw that to the chance of the winds and waves 

 to which he might have given impulse, direction, and life. I 

 had letters to Monsieur de Bellonde, commissaire de Guerre ; I 

 found him alone: he asked me to sup, saying he should have 

 some persons to meet me who could give me information. On 

 my returning, he introduced me to Madame de Bellonde and a 

 circle of a dozen ladies, with three or four young officers, leaving 

 the room himself to attend Madame, the princess of something, 

 who was on her flight to Switzerland. I wished the whole com- 

 pany very cordially at the devil, for I saw, at one glance, what 

 sort of information I should have. There was a little coterie in 

 one corner listening to an officer's detail of leaving Paris. This 

 gentleman further informed us that the Count d'Artois, and all 

 the princes of the blood, except Monsieur and the Duke d'Orleans, 

 the whole connection of Polignac, the Marechal de Broglio, and 

 an infinite number of the first nobiHty had fled the kingdom, 

 and were daily followed by others; and lastl)', that the king, 

 queen, and royal family were in a situation at Versailles really 

 dangerous and alarming, without any dependence on the troops 

 near them, and, in fact, more like prisoners than free. Here is, 

 therefore, a revolution effected by a sort of magic; all powers 

 in the realm are destroyed but that of the commons ; and it now 

 will remain to see what sort of architects they are at rebuilding 

 an edifice in the place of that which has been thus marvellously 

 tumbled in ruins. Supper being announced, the company 

 quitted the room, and as I did not push myself forward, I 

 remained at the rear till I was very whimsically alone; I was a 

 little struck at the turn of the moment, and did not advance 

 when I found myself in such an extraordinary situation, in order 

 to see whether it would arrive at the point it did. I then, 

 smiling, took my hat and walked fairly out of the house. I 

 was, however, overtaken below; but I talked of business — or 

 pleasure — or of something, or nothing — and hurried to the inn. 

 I should not have related this if it had not been at a moment 

 that carried with it its apology: the anxiety and distraction of the 

 time must fill the head and occupy the attention of a gentleman ; 

 — and, as to ladies, what can French ladies think of a man who 

 travels for the plough? — 25 miles. 



26th. For twenty miles to Lisle sur Daube, the country nearly 

 as before; but after that, to Baume les Dames, it is all moun- 

 tainous and rock, much wood, and many pleasing scenes of the 

 river flowing beneath. The whole country is in the greatest 



