poured in their populations and increased the throng in the streets;
single acts of violence began to occur, wholesale massacres were
approaching. I had arrived in the town with my friend M____ the very
beginning of the tumult, so we had seen the dangerous agitation and
excitement grow under our eyes, but we were still ignorant of its true
cause, when, in the rue de Noailles, we met an acquaintance, who,
although his political opinions did not coincide with ours, had always
shown himself very friendly to us. 'Well,' said I, 'what news?' 'Good
for me and bad for you,' he answered;' I advise you to go away at once.'
Surprised and somewhat alarmed at these words, we begged him to explain.
'Listen,' said he; 'there are going to be riots in the town; it is well
known that you used to go to Brune's nearly every evening, and that you
are in consequence no favourite with your neighbours; seek safety in the
country.' I addressed some further question to him, but, turning his back
on me, he left me without another word.

"M______ and I were still looking at each other in stupefaction, when the
increasing uproar aroused us to a sense that if we desired to follow the
advice just given we had not a moment to lose. We hastened to my house,
which was situated in the Allees de Meilhan. My wife was just going out,
but I stopped her.

"'We are not safe here,' I said; 'we must get away into the country.'

"'But where can we go?'

"'Wherever luck takes us. Let us start.'

"She was going to put on her bonnet, but I told her to leave it behind;
for it was most important that no one should think we suspected anything,