I was more shocked and affected by this account than I could very
easily tell you. To complete the tragedy, M. de Narbonne had
determined to write an offer--a request rather--to be allowed to
appear as a witness in behalf of the king, upon his trial ; and
M. d'Arblay had declared he would do the same, and share the fate
of his friend, whatever it might be.


MONSIEUR GIRARDIN.

On Tuesday, the 20th, I called to condole with our friends on
these new misfortunes. Madame de la Chƒtre received me with
politeness, and even cordiality: she told me she was a little
recovered from the first shock--that she should hope to gather
together a small d‚bris of her fortune, but never enough to
settle in England--that, in short, her parti ‚tait pris(42)--that
she must go to America. It went to my heart to hear her say so.
Presently came in M. Girardin. He is son to the Marquis de
Girardin d'Ermenonville, the friend of Rousseau, whose last days
were passed, and whose remains are deposited, in his domain. This
M. Girardin was a pupil of Rousseau; he was a member of the
Legislative Assembly, and an able opponent of the jacobins.

It was to him that M. Merlin, aprŠs bien de gestes mena‡ans,(43)
had held a pistol, in the midst of the Assembly. His father was a
mad republican, and never satisfied with the rational spirit of
patriotism that animated M. Girardin; who, witnessing the
distress of all the friends he most esteemed and honoured, and
being himself in personal danger from the enmity of the jacobins,