222 BAILLY. 
victory of Nanteans, our colleague hastened to follow 
out his project, formed a short time before, of withdraw- 
ing from the insurgent provinces. 
Up to the beginning of July 1793, Mélun had enjoyed 
perfect tranquillity. Bailly knew it through M. de La- 
place, who, living retired in that chief town of the depart- 
ment, was there composing the immortal work in which 
the wonders of the heavens are studied with so much 
depth and genius. He also knew that the great geome- 
ter, hoping to be still more retired in a cottage on the 
banks of the Seine, and out of the town, was going to 
dispose of his house in Mélun. It is easy to guess that 
Bailly would be charmed with the prospect of residing 
far away from political agitation, and near to his illustri- 
ous friend ! 
The arrangements were promptly made, and on the 
6th of July, M. and Madame Bailly quitted Nantes in 
company with M. and Madame Villenave, who were 
going to Rennes. 
At this same time, a division of the revolutionary army 
was marching to Mélun. As soon as the terrible news 
was known, Madame Laplace wrote to Bailly, persuad- 
ing him, under covert expressions, to give up the intended 
project. The house, she said, is at the water’s edge: 
there is extreme dampness in the rooms: Madame Bailly 
would die there. A letter so different from those that 
had preceded it, could not fail of its effect ; such at least 
was the hope with which M. and Madame Laplace flat- 
tered themselves, when about the end of July they per- 
ceived, with inexpressible alarm, Bailly crossing the 
garden path. “ Great God, you did not then understand 
our last letter!” exclaimed at the same instant our col- 
league’s two friends. “I understood perfectly,” Bailly 
