called on Hucher, a baker and Sapeur in the Bataillon of the Théatins,
to communicate his fears on what he had just learnt relative to the
king's projected flight. They instantly aroused their neighbours, to the
number of thirty, and went to La Fayette to inform him of the fact, and
to summon him to take instant measures to prevent it. M. de La Fayette
laughed, and advised them to go home. In order to avoid being stopped by
the patrols, they asked for the pass-word, which he gave them. Armed
with this they hastened to the Tuileries, where nothing was visible
except several hackney coachman drinking round one of the small shops
near the wicket gate of the Carrousel. They inspected all the courts
until they came to the door of the Manége without perceiving anything
suspicious, but at their return they were surprised to find that every
hackney coach had disappeared, which made them conjecture that these
coaches had been used by some of the attendants of this unworthy
(_indigne_) family."

It is too evident from the state of agitation of the public mind and the
severity of the king's captivity, how difficult it must have been.
However, either owing to the connivance of some of the national guards
who had on that day demanded the custody of the interior posts, and who
winking at this infraction of the orders,--to the skilful management of
the Count de Fersen,--or that providence afforded a last ray of hope and
safety to those whom she was so soon about to overwhelm with
misfortunes, all the watchfulness of the guardians was in vain, and the
Revolution suffered its prey for some time to escape.


IX.

The king and queen received, as was their custom at their _coucher_,