At laft, M. de Moustier, borne along by the multitude, reached the bottom of the great fair. This he never fhould have been able to mount, but for another officer of the national-guard, there on duty, who, feizing him by the collar, and with louder and more horrid language than that of the populace, told them, that it would be a pity, indeed, if fuch a man as M. de Mouftier fhould meet with the reward of his detestable conduct at the hands of the refpectable citizens of Paris; that fome new kind of torture ought to be contrived for fo atrocious an offender; and that he himself would take upon him to make De Mouftier fuffer in fuch a way as to give univerfal fatisfaction. By these means did this worthy officer fucceed in drawing M. de Moutier from the hands of the defperate multitude; and as foon as an opportunity for fpeaking in private to M. de Mouftier occurred, he made the most hearty apology for the feeming brutality of his behaviour, which, the officer faid, was the only prac. ticable way to prevent M. de Mouftier from being torn in pieces. and the frequent difcharge of blood.During the whole day he had never been fuffered to have even a mouthful of water; and those who furrounded him were pofitively commanded to afford him no relief. When he got within the palace he was defired by thofe around him to fit down. He begged, that if they were really perfons of common humanity, they would procure him a mouthful of bread and a glass of wine. A tumbler was given to him, and one of the national-guards prepared to pour into it fome water. "What, (faid M. de Mouftier,) nothing but water? can I bave no wine ?" "No, (anfwered the other,) we have nothing else." Whilt he poured out the water, 10me well-dreffed perfons came, and in very civil terms begged he would tell them who he was. "My name (faid he,) is Mouftier; and I bave the honour to be one of the gardesdu-corps of his Majefty the King of France and Navarre. I belong to that company which is in garrison at Troyes, in Cham "Then (replied they,) you are a.... rascal-(Tu es un grand....gueux : Tu es un grand fcelerat," && &c. As both M. de Mouftier and M. de Malden are tall men, they were mistaken_paign.” by the mob for the Duke de Guiche, for M. de la Tour du Pin, for M. le Comte Annibal d'Agoult, brother of the Marquis d'Agoult, major of the regiment of French Guards-(les Gardes Françaises ;) but they were particularly obnoxious when taken for M. le Comte d'Agoult, who, in the worst of times, evinced on every occafion the most heroic courage, and the warmest attachment to his Royal Mafter. M. de Malden reached the palace covered with blood. He had received two thrufts with a bayonet in the head; but fortunately both grazed the skull, and only laid open the skin. M. de Mouftier fuffered feverely before he was rescued from the hands of his enemies. His clothes were in rags, his hair, particularly his queue, literally torn from the head. Having been dragged along for a great while, with his head Bent downwards, fometimes in one direction, and fometimes in another, the blood was collected in his head to fuch a degree, that for a confiderable time he loft his fight, while the blood flowed in ftreams from his mouth. His fufferings were however chiefly, occafioned by want of fuftenance, especially by an intolerable thirft, from the exceffive heat and duft, Such language, from perfons of their manner and appearance, roufed his fpirits, and, throwing the glass of water on the ground, he advanced to the middle of the room, with his fifts clenched, against the men who had, in fo base and cowardly a way, infulted him; when two officers of the national-guards feized him round the body, and his infulters made off. M. de Mouftier obferved to those who remained about him, that the prefent circumftances precifely fuited fuch men as those who had infulted him they did well, therefore, to make the most of them. That it was, however, to be hoped, that injuftice would not for ever be crowned with fuccefs; and that, in the mean time, it would be well to propofe no more questions to him, for that he was refolved to give no more answers. Whether it was from compaffion, or from a view of changing the conversation, M. de Mouftier knows not, but just at this inftant a bottle of good wine, with a piece of bread, was produced. The bread he ate, and swallowed two tumblers of wine, with great eagerness. 3 K 2 When When he had fo done, two perfons, dreffed in black, fhewed him a red Morocco pocket-book, afking whether or not he knew it. "Yes, (faid M. de Mouftiere,) it is mine. There is nothing in it but fome goldbeater's leaf, and some money. Open before this company, and then let me bave it." This, however, they did not do; nor was the pocket-book or the money ever reftored to him. The pocket book was carried to the National Affembly, where the Marquis de Bonnai procured it to be fealed up in their prefence, left fome evildifpofed perfons fhould introduce into it, other papers calcula ed to injure the Royal Family. One of the officers of the nationalguard in the palace now faid to M. de Mouftier, "Come, my good fellow (Brave homme-a title by which he was conftantly afterwards known,) will you drink a glafs of Malaga ?" "I never refufe (anfwered M. de Mouftier,) a good thing, and from the hands of a worthy man; let us have it.” On which that officer gave him a tumbler of Malaga, with a biscuit; after swallow ing which he found himself quite recovered. Another perfon then propofed that he fhould have fupper; and a pair of ftewed pigeons and a chicken he very speedily difpatched. Thofe about him tafted of every difh, left, as they faid, he fhould be poifoned: but he fuppofed this precaution was fuggefted by their own fears that he fhould efcape from them before they could ob tain all the information which they hoped to draw from him refpecting the journey. "Come, (faid they,) we will all drink a glass of wine;" and advancing their tumblers to touch that of M. de Mouftier, as is ufual in France on drinking a toaft, he faid, "Well, Gentlemen, let us drink to the health of our unhappy Mafter and bis Family: they are indeed very unfor walking behind, with their arms turned towards him, and others on each fide. In this manner they attended him, although the apartment was crowded with nationalguards, fome on duty, and others drawn thither by curiosity. Thefe guards often repeated one to another, "How is it poffible that three men only could carry away the King from amongst us? It is very extraordinary." "This furprifes you, (faid M. de Mouftier ;) perhaps you will be glad to knowʊ bow it happened." "Yes, brave homme, (anfwered they,) you will oblige us much by explaining it." "Well, then, (added he,) the secret lies in this; that the brave man never reckons the number of his enemies while they are alive, but only after they are dead, that he may know how many of them he has killed: and, Gentlemen, at this very moment, fhould the King my mafter command me to attack a hundred thousand men in his defence, it would give me far more pleasure than to attack only one or ten, for this would not be worth my notice." The national-guards looked firft ftedfaftly on M. de Mouftier, and then on each other; but made no reply. The three gardes-du-corps were feparated, each under a guard; and were furnished with mattraffes, on which they remained until four in the morning. During this time perfons were continually coming to examine them; and at last they were told that they must leave the Thuilleries, in order to be carried to the Abbey of St. Germain, then used as a prison. This early hour was chofen left the people fhould be collected, who might' perhaps overawe their guard, and murder them on the way. The carriage which conveyed the gardes du corps was entirely_surrounded with national guards, and paffed between a double line of infantry and cavalry.Even these national-guards themselves repeatedly called out to the three prifoners, We will do for you"-(Coquins, nous vous arrangerons comme il faut ;) at the fame time threatening them with their fabres, and encouraging the populace in every enormity. In this manner the prifoners were conducted to the Abbey, where the populace made feveral attempts to force the gates, in order, as they exclaimed, to have the heads of the three gardes-du-corps as a trophy. POPULATION |