At night M. de Choiseul quitted Stenay with several officers on
horseback, and advanced to the very gate of Dun, but he would not enter
lest his presence might in any way work on the people. There he awaited,
in silence and obscurity, the courier who was to precede the carriages
by an hour. The destiny of the monarchy, the throne of a dynasty, the
lives of the royal family, king, queen, princess, children, all weighed
down his spirit and lay heavily on his heart. The night seemed
interminable, yet it passed without the sound of horses' feet
announcing to the group who so anxiously awaited the intelligence, that
the king of France was saved or lost.


VI.

What passed at the Tuileries during these decisive hours? the secret of
the projected flight had been carefully confined to the king, the queen,
the princess Elizabeth, two or three faithful attendants, and the Count
de Fersen, a Swedish gentlemen who had the care of the exterior
arrangements confided to him. Some vague rumours, like presentiments of
coming events, had, it is true, been bruited amongst the people for some
days past, but these rumours originated rather in the state of popular
excitement than any actual disclosures of the intended departure. These
reports, however, which were constantly transmitted to M. de La Fayette
and his staff, occasioned a stricter _surveillance_ round the palace and
the king's apartments. Since the 5th and 6th of October the household
guards had been disbanded; the companies of the body guard, every
soldier of whom was a gentleman and whose honour, descent, ancient
traditions, and party feeling assured their fidelity, existed no longer;
that respectful vigilance that rendered their service a matter of duty
with them, had given place to the jealous watchfulness of the national