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intended journey. He answered, that he confidered it to be most fortunate for them to be already without the walls of Paris. The King obferved, that it might per haps be difficult to proceed fo far as to Châlons on the Marne; nay, that he doubted whether they should be able to reach that town; but that, after paffing Châlons, he could foresee no obstacle to their progrefs.

The Queen informed M. de Mouftier, that, as they came out of the palace, they met M. de la Fayette and M. Gouvion; but that she went a little to one fide, fo that these gentlemen paffed the Royal Family, as her Majefty believed, without knowing them. It muft alfo be obferv. ed, that, in order to mislead the public, the Queen and Princefs Elizabeth had lengthened out their airing in the Bois de Boulogne to a very late hour, and did not return to the palace till eight o'clock. It is remarkable that it had been currently reported in Paris for feveral days, that the King was to make his escape from Paris very foon. One of the journals had even fixed this very day for the attempt.

M. de Valory, as was faid, had gone on to Bondy, to have horfes ready for the next stage, and alfo to deliver to M. le Duc de Choifeul, who was there expecting orders, a letter from the King, acquainting him, that, foon after his ufual hour of retiring to reft, which was well known to every one connected with the Royal Fa. mily to be at midnight, he was to attempt to escape from the Thuilleries ; and directing M. de Choifeul to take all proper precautions for facilitating the journey.

Thus M. de Valory rode on before the carriage to provide horfes; M. de Malden rode behind it; and M. de Moutier mounted the coach box, where Count de Ferfen had placed himfelf, and went as far as Bondy. Here he took leave of the Royal Family, and the King tenderly embraced him at parting.

The Count returned to Paris with the poftillion who had driven the Royal Fa. mily that stage.

It was three quarters of an hour paft twelve, or, at moft, one in the morning of Tuesday, the 22d of June, when the carriage left the gate of St. Martin at Paris. The journey from thence to Varennes, a distance of fixty leagues of poft, (or about one hundred and fifty English miles,) was performed between the time juft mentioned, and a quarter, or perhaps half an hour, paft ten o'clock at night; that is, in twenty-one hours and a half.

They travelled without any remarkable

interruption or delay, excepting that at a poft-houfe beyond Châlons, when they were on the point of fetting off, the two foremoft horfes at once fell down, with the driver unde his horfe-an accident inftantaneous and unaccountable: and when they had been raifed, and were again ready to move, the whole number of horfes in the carriage came all together to the ground, with the drivers, in a most extraordinary way.

M. de Moutier, who had both times releafed the drivers from their dangerous fituation, complained of the horses: but he was affured by the people of the posthoufe, that these were the best in the ftables, as in fact they appeared to be; and that, by their speed on the road, the delay now occafioned would be amply compenfated.

These fame horfes afterwards went on fo well, being almoft constantly on a canter, that, upon the whole, no time seemed to be loft in this stage, in which the carriage went fafter than on any other of the whole journey.*

That the Royal Family might avoid every cause of delay on the road, they had taken with them in the carriage a piece of cold veal, which they cut, and laid on a flice of bread, and ate, as is done by sportfmen and travellers in France, who wish to fave the time and expence of eating at an inn. They had alfo ONE bottle of mild Champaign (vin de Champagne non mouffeux,) together with hx bottles of water. This was the whole beverage of the whole family all the way from Paris to Va rennes.†

Thrice

* During the whole way to Varennes the carriage was drawn by fix horfes, and had no more even on the return to Paris, notwithftanding the crowd of national guards with whom it was literally covered.

Very different from this is the account fo often and fo confidently circulated by defigning and evil-intentioned perfons in France. Being fenfible that, in order to fucceed in their atrocious fchemes, it was neceffary to render the unfortunate Louis the object of the contempt, and even of the abhorrence, of an uninformed and deluded mul

titude, thefe perfons ceafed not to propagate calumnies, against their devoted Sovereign. In particular, they afferted, and it has been but too generally believed, that had the King been lefs addicted to the pleasures of the table, his journey would not have been interrupted, nor his perfon recognized.

the most fcandalous, as well as groundless

M. de Moustier has had the grief to hear U u 2 fimilar

Thrice only on the whole journey did his Majefty alight from the carriage; twice only for the fhort time employed in changing horfes; and this he did principally to give his family a little relief from their crowded fituation; and the third time when the carriage came to go down a hill fo fteep, that the poftillions were obliged to lock the wheels with the chain. The Dauphin and the Princess Royal took the fame opportunity to stretch their Imbs, cramped with the confinement of the carriage.

On the last of these occafions, when he had one foot on the steps to enter the coach, which was furrounded and befet with beggars, feemingly in the greatest diftrefs, he laid his hand on M.de Mouftier's arm, who had turned himself fo as to prevent the King from being narrowly examined, and with tears in his eyes defired M. de Mouftier not to take fo much trouble, adding, that fuch precautions were no longer neceffary, as no danger of difcovery was now to be apprehended. He faid, at the fame time, that he could not, without the most lively forrow, behold the wretched ftate of the people around them, nor anticipate the mifery that must be their lot, fhould no favour able change in public affairs take place. "Alas! (cried that feeling Prince,) bow iny poor people are deceived! My own fuf. jerings would be nothing to me, could they become the means of procuring the happiness of the French nation."

On the fit occafion of his quitting the carriage, the King faid to M. de Mouftier: I am so unfortunate that I can not perfuade myself that my journey will be profperous. Happen, however, what may, I fball have only done my duty, in fbewing to all the world, by this attempt to withdraw from my oppreffors, the thral dom in which I have hitherto been held.Let no one in future allege, that he has been deceived or misled by me, through any thing that I may do, as has been but too long the cafe during my cruel captivity.†

fimilar affertions from the mouths of perfons otherwife worthy of regard; and even of fome who, in foreign lands, were the suffering victims of their zeal for the cause of the very Monarch whofe character they fo unjustly, but unthinkingly, afperfed. He does in the moft folemn manner declare, that the account here given is moft ftrictly correct.

The fame fentiments were more fully expreffed in the Declaration left by his Majefty on the chimney-piece in the Thuilleries, and afterwards made public. :

The confidence, or rather the hopes, of meeting with no interruption on the journey, began to decay when the carriage reached St. Méréhoud, where, while the horfes were changing, the commanding officer of a detachment of dragoons quartered in the town, paffing close by M. de Mouftier, but without ftopping, and rather affecting to turn his head another way, faid to him, in a way not to be overheard by the furrounding people, “ Make hafte, and begone; if you do not fet off infantly, you are undone. This the officer faid, although he faw M. de Mouftier with his own hands affifting to put the horfes to the carriage with the utmost dispatch.

Soon after the King had left St. Ménéhoud, this party of dragoons was fur rounded and difarmed by the national guards of the place.

The Royal Family at laft arrived at Clermont en Argone, where lay Monfieur's regiment of dragoons, commanded by M. de Damas.

One of the officers came up to M. de Mouftier, and faid, "Comrade, shall I order à party to mount and attend you ?" M. de Moutier declined accepting the offer, as it might have occafioned fome fufpicion of the rank of the travellers ; faying to the officer, that he must surely be in a mistake refpecting them, for that they were not accustomed to travel with fuch attendants.

The officer, either from prudence, or that he feared he had been too rash, replied only that it might be dangerous for perfons of diftinction to travel through the woods in the night.

M. de Mouftier thanked him for his attention, adding, that perfons who travelled as they did, always took care to be prepared against highwaymen, or whatever other inconveniences they could expect to encounter.

When the carriage had left Clermont, M. de Damas ordered his regiment to mount and march; but instead of obeying, the men fet up the cry of Vive la Nation !* and M. de Damas contrived, though with much difficulty, and after being feverely threatened by them, to make

*This extraordinary behaviour of the dragoons, added to the conduct of the drivers, who even on the best road, between Clermont and Varennes, could never be prevailed on to proceed but extremely flow, in general walking their horfes, may ferve to open the eyes of the world refpecting the fcheme laid for interrupting his Majefty's journey.

his escape out of their hands, and repaired to the King, who was, by this time, arrived at Varennes; whither the Duke de Choifeul had alfo repaired.

The carriage entered Varennes at a quarter, or perhaps half an hour, paft ten o'clock at night, an hour when the inhabitants of that place ought all naturally to have gone to bed.

Here horses were expected to convey the Royal Family to Stenay.

M. de Bouillé, son of the celebrated General, the Marquis de Bouillé, and M. de Goguelas, were already at Varennes, but unfortunately they were pofted at the farther extremity of the town, beyond the bridge, over a fmall river that runs by it. This bridge was afterwards found to be blocked up by three waggons loaded with timber overturned on it. Four pieces of cannon were also planted at the gate of the place. Thefe, however, could not have occafioned much hindrance to the journey, as the people could not have made use of them without endangering their friends as much as the Royal Family.

The night was extremely dark, and from the hour, and the profound filence of the place, the inhabitants were fuppofed to be all at reft.

As the horses expected from Stenay did not appear, it was propofed to the drivers to go on another stage; but this they pofitively refused to do, pretending that they did not know the road. Nothing, therefore, could induce them to proceed; not even the promise of fifty Louis-d'or, made to them by M. de Malden.,

In this dilemma, the King directed M. de Moutier to enquire for the road at a houfe on the right hand of the street, nearly oppofite the carriage, and where, only, any light had been obferved.

The door, which ftood open, was fhut as foon as M. de Mouftier approached it; but when he preffed ftrongly against it, it was again opened, and a gentleman within, in a night gown, asked him, in a firm voice, what he wanted.

"I only came (faid M. de Mouftier,) to beg you to inform me which is the road from this place to Stenay?"

"I would do it (laid the gentleman,) moft readily; but if it came to be known to the public that I had done fo, I should be ruined."

"What, Sir! (replied M. de Mouftier,) a lady on a journey finds herself overtaken by the night, and is an utter franger to the country: you are furely too awell bred to refuse to point out her road?"

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No, Sir, (faid the gentleman again,) this is no lady: we know who the travellers are."

On this M. de Mouftier returned to the carriage, and recounted what had paffed to his Majefty, who fent him back to defire the gentleman to come to the carriage.

M. de Mouftier went, and told him that his mistress begged he would come out to her, to which the gentleman agreed, and putting off his fhoes, left his steps fhould be remarked, went to the coach, where he converfed fome time with the King; and then conducted M. de Mouf tier to the lodgings of the commandingofficer of the huffars of Lauzun, walking all the way without his fhoes, and infifting on abfolute fecrecy from M. de Mouftier.

The commandant's lodgings were near, but he was not to be found. They only met with one of the huffars, who had been ordered, he faid, to carry the officer's portmanteau to him, if he did not come home, between twelve and one in the morning.

After this the carriage moved onwards, through Varennes, for about two hundred fteps, when it was stopped by a crowd of national guards, filling the ftreet, and prefenting their muskets at the drivers, who, as may be fuppofed from their former behaviour, were foon induced to halt.*

Two men ftanding directly oppofite to the door of the carriage, on the left fide, pointed their mufkets against it, calling out, Fire! M. de Mouftier pushed down one of the pieces, and feized the other with one hand, while he clapped the other to his hanger.

The Queen inftantly commanded him to abstain from any violence; and he, without quitting his hold of the musket, but pufhing it gently to one fide, that, if it did go off, the charge might not touch the carriage, juft faid, with a low voice, "What, Madam! will you not suffer me to drive away this rabble ?"—"No, (anwered the Queen,) don't meddle with them; you would only binder us: this will foon be over.

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Jult at this juncture, Sauffe, procureur of the commune, (town,) came up, with the commandant of the volunteers, or national guards, and, under the pretence of

It is worthy of remark, that, as the coach entered Varennes, when it was both late and dark, a loud whistle was heard by M. de Malden and others of the company.

executing

executing his magifterial duty, asked for the palports of the travellers, and made the Royal Family alight.

They were conducted to Sauffe's houfe, which was every where filled with national guards.

When they entered an apartment, the King went and fate down at the farther end; the Queen and Princess Elizabeth feated themfelves, one on each fide of the King, but a little farther forward, that, if poffible, they might conceal his Ma jefty from the prying eyes of the multitude, who fhewed the utmost eagerness to

behold him.

For the fame purpofe M. de Moufier placed himself on a chair between the Queen and the Princess, and immediately before the King

Some one of t "They fay this pofed this to. Moutier,) you feet and if ler, what righ journey

rowd having observed, King; "If you fupbe King, (faid M. de ght already to be at his only a common travelave you to interrupt his

On hearing what paffed, his Majefty rofe from his chair, and advancing to the middle of the chamber, faid aloud "Yes, I am your King !-Being worn out with the outrages to which I have been fo long expofed in the capital, I have at laft refolved to withdraw to a remote corner of my dominions; and there I am convinced I fhall again meet with genuine marks of that affection which the French bave, from the earliest times, borne to their rightful fovereigns."

No fooner were thefe words uttered by his Majefty, than Sauffe, the procureur, and Hannonet, the commander of the national guards, ftruck with awe, threw themselves at his Majesty's feet, and with tears poured forth proteftations of their love and refpect for all the Royal Family, and of their joy in beholding their King in the midst of his people: they even added their refolution to fhed the lat drop of their blood for his fervice,

His Majefty and the Queen raised them from the ground, and he spoke to them in the following manner :

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My good people are not criminal; they are only mified. They have not utterly faken off their antient love for their Sovereign; and as a proof of the fincere affection I bear to them, I declare that I am ready to take an equal number of the national guards and of the regular troops to accompany me to Montmedy, whither I bave refolved to retire. I therefore order you, Sir, the commander of the national

guards, to choose out the proper number for the purpose; and let the borfes be put to the carriage immediately, for I must inflantly jet out.”

Thele very men, who but the inftant before had given fuch marks of devotion to their King, instead of obeying his commands, boldly declared that they neither could nor would proceed with him.

"I order you to make ready, (faid his Majesty,) I insist on it, and that without delay." On receiving an antwer fimilar to the former, he turned from them, and went back to his chair.

To complete the King's diftrefs, the regular troops were just as much loft to all fenfe of duty; for the detachment of Lauzun's huffars, which came up at this time, on arriving under Sauffe's windows, without hesitation, at the request of the national guards, fhouted out Vive la Na tion!

The Royal Family went and remained a confiderable time at the windows of the apartment; the Queen holding up the Dauphin in her arms, and the Princess Elizabeth carrying the young Princess Royal. They prefented them to the multitude affembled in the fireet, whom they addreffed with a good nets and condefcenfion, mingled with dignity, fufficient to have touched the most unfeeling hearts: but all was to no purpose.

The regular troops, in former days fo much alive to fentiments of honour and duty, perfifted in their attachment to the multitude, for whom they had declared themselves; but an officer of the huffars coming up to the King, requested his orders: You fee (laid his Majefty,) that I can give no orders. You must know yourself what you ought to do."

But the mott diftreffing circumstance of all was the unaccountable absence of the brave but unfortunate De Bouillé, with the gallant regiment of Royal Allemand, a regiment which had never failed to dif tinguifh itself for every excellent quality.

M. de Goguelas, aide-de-camp to M. de Bouillé, in e deavouring to get up to the King, received feveral bullets through his clothes, but made good his way. He had, however, converted but a few moments with his Majetty, when they were intercupted by the arrival of the aides-ducamp of La Fayette, from Paris. Thefe perfons went up to his Majefty, and prefented to him a packet on the part of the foi-difant National Affembly.

The King, in the first moments of his agitation, threw it from him. It would have fallen on the bed where lay the poor

Dauphin

Dauphin, who was feverish, and much fatigued with the journey. The Queen, whole prefence of mind and fenfe of dignity never forfook her, catched the packet in the air, and exclaiming, "What, Sire, would you fain the Dauphin with this !" threw it on the floor.

The packet was picked up, and again prefented to the King, who, on opening it, after a moment's filence, faid aloud"The perjured monflers! they dare to arreft their King-(Quoi, les parjures! ils ofent arreter leur Roi.")

Then turning to the people affembled about him, he pronounced, with a feeling and an air capable to have touched a heart of stone, these words, "Your King aprifoner !-(Votre Roi prifonnier !}"

Addreffing himself next to the aides-ducamp of La Fayette, he faid, "I well knew that there were in my kingdom traitors and prodigies of wickedness; but I could never have believed nor imagined that any body of men could have been fo Loft to every thing that is facred amongst men, as to have arrested their Sovereign.

The aides-du-camp were affected, even to tears, at this fpeech; and, with the ftrongest expreffions of dutiful respect and attachment to the Royal Family, declared that at that very moment, perhaps, Paris was a prey to fire and fword, when the people began to fear that they had loft the moft upright, the beft of kings; and urged the abfolute neceffity for the King's instant return to the capital.*

Their Majesties, untouched by the artful language of these gentlemen, turned away; oblerving, that the tears and protestations of men who had broken every engagement, even the most facred oaths, were but little calculated to move them : adding, that all that thefe officers had now to do, was to pay due refpect to the orders of their King; for that he was determined inftantly to proceed to Montmedy.

The King immediately directed M. de Mouftier to put the horses to his carriage; but the national guards endeavoured, with their arms, obstruct his paffage, ufing at the fame time the mot unbecoming language

M. de Moutier, feeling too ftrongly the duty he had to difcharge for his unfortunate master, and speaking to the guards in that tone which a fenfe of duty can

* These two_aides-du-camp were, Baillon, formerly an officer in the corps of engineers, and Romeufs, a young man of great property, whofe exterior was as fair and handfome, as kis interior was foul and deformed,

alone inspire, forced his way through the crowd, and made for the tables of the poft-house. He entered two, where no horfes were to be found: and after having in vain infifted that they should be produced, he returned to the King, to ac quaint him with what had paffed, but con cealing the abominable difcourfes he had heard without doors.

Their Majefties, who appeared to be much more anxious for the welfare of thofe perfons who had the happiness to belong to them, than for their own fafety, when they faw that it was impoffible to continue the journey, were folely occupied in devising means to favour the efcape of the three Couriers.

Thefe officers, on the other hand, had no other with than that, by shedding their blood in the caufe of their royal mafter, and his afflicted family, they might unequivocally demonftrate to the world, that unhappy France ftill poffeffed some men who had not renounced their duty and allegiance to the belt of princes.

Princefs Elizabeth contrived, in a way not obferved by the crowd in the chamber, to flip into M. de Moutier's pocket fome rouleaux of Louis-d'or, together with her own purfe.

M. de Mouftier could neither return the money to the Princefs, nor even ask why it was thus given to him. He feared, indeed, that he or his companions had had the misfortune unknowingly to give fome offence to the Royal Family, and that therefore they wifhed him and the others to be gone. In confequence of this he took the first opportunity that prefented itself to conjure their Majesties to grant him yet one favour.

"Alas! (faid they,) what can we now do for you; fay, what do you wish ?”

"The favour (rejoined M. de Mouftier,) of being permitted fill to hold even the meanest fituation about your facred perfons-among your household fervantsnever more to leave you. As it is no longer in my power to ferve you in my military capacity, I shall confider myself tenfold happier in the most bumble station, than Ihould be in filling the most exalted, in other times and in other circumftances.'

Their reply was, after a fhort pause, ́ "No, no, you shall never leave us.

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The national guards during all this time, notwithstanding repeated orders to withdraw, had the indecent infolence to remain, not at the door, but in the middle of the room where the Royal Family were detained.

M. de

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