1It was nine o’clock in the evening. I went to look after my horse, which I had left in a house by the barrier. They gave it back to me as promised, and I retook it to the stables, always using the name of M. Drouet. I took a receipt for it, and at ten o’clock I entered the Rue St. Honoré.

2I found all the family at table, as, on account of the day’s excitement, the supper, which usually was partaken of at eight o’clock, to-night was delayed till ten.

3They raised a cry of joy when they saw me. Maître Duplay, who had been with the National Guard of the Quartier St. Honoré, fancied that he saw me at the door of the royal carriage, by the side of the grenadiers; but the thing appeared so improbable, that he had told it to his family more as a delusion than a fact.

4Scarcely was I recognised, than the two girls immediately made a space for me between them.

5This was the more easy, as the elder apprentice was absent, leaving only the one enamoured of Mdlle. Cornelie, Félicién Herda.

6I did not want much pressing to sit down; I was literally dying of hunger and thirst. The young girls wished to ask me questions; but M. Duplay excused me until I had both eaten and drank.

7In a few minutes, I rejoined the supper eaters, and set myself to gratify the public curiosity.

8It was necessary for me to recount everything, omitting no details, from the moment when M. Drouet appeared to the King as a vision, on the top of the Hill des Réligieuses, to the moment when the carriage started from the house of the grocer, Sauce, and, lastly, to their arrival at the gate of the Tuileries.

9It can be easily understood with what avidity my tale was devoured, especially by the women. At that period, the women took a great interest in the Revolution: Madame Duplay, Mdlle. Cornelie, and Mdlle. Estelle made me repeat the same details over and over again; and, though they had a sigh for Madame Elizabeth, the Queen was ever an Austrian—that is to say, an enemy.

10It was now eleven o’clock. Duplay, bursting with the news which I brought him, resolved to go to the Jacobin Club. There was no doubt but that, in consequence of the great events taking place, the club would, despite the late hour, be holding a sitting.

11He asked me if I would like to accompany him; but, indefatigable though I was, I asked his permission to retire to repose.

12They gave me Dumont’s chamber, which was vacant, on account of its owner having left the shop some eight days previously. The ladies undertook to arrange the bed draperies, and perform all the little offices which come so gratefully from a woman’s tender hand and kind heart. Félicién commenced by scowling at me; but when he perceived that upon Estelle, by tacit consent, fell the greater share of the labor on my account, his brow gradually relaxed.

13Duplay set out for his club. They then informed me that my chamber was ready. It was the first time for four nights that I had slept in a bed, so you may imagine that I stood upon no ceremony. I made a hurried bow to all, rushed up to my room; and, on arriving there, blessed Madame Duplay for the quantity of water and towels that she had left me—as it required plenty of both to rid me of that accursed dust of Champagne, with which I seemed to be perfectly coated.

14I jumped into bed, and, in a second, fell into the most profound sleep.

15On the next morning, I was awakened by M. Duplay, after a most persistent shaking, which, in my sleep, I attributed to other causes.

16“Ah!” said he; “when you sleep you do sleep, and no mistake, you drowsy provincials.”

17“Bah!” said I. “It is you, then, who have been trying to awaken, me?”

18“Yes; and who tried last night, but could not succeed.”

19“What did you wish of me?”

20“Citizen Réné Besson, I fancied that you would excuse the breach of hospitality, when you knew that I had something most important to tell you.”

21“Well, I am all attention, M. Duplay.”

22“Call me Citizen,” said Duplay, pluming himself.

23“Well, I listen to you, citizen.”

24“As you know, I went to the club last night.”

25“Yes.”

26“There I met M. Chanderlos de Laclos.”

27“Citizen Laclos, you mean, I suppose?”

28“I stand corrected. All men are now equal. Well, I met Citizen Laclos, and told him all that you had related to me concerning the journey of the King to Paris. Do you know what he asked me? He asked me to take you to the Palais Royal, in order that you may give your version of the affair to the Duc d’Orleans.”

29“I?”

30“Yes, thou! In the meantime, you had better dress yourself.”

31“Do I go this morning, then?”

32“Between nine and ten o’clock.”

33“What time is it now?”

34“Half-past eight.”

35“You know, I suppose, that my only costume is that of a National Guard?”

36“It is the costume of patriots.”

37“But still, when one goes near princes! Does my coat want brushing?”

38“Leave that to Catherine. You occupy yourself with putting on a clean shirt, if you have any. I will see that your clothes and boots are brushed. If you have not any clean linen, I can lend you some.”

39“Thank you; I have all that I require in my bag.”

40“Dress, then; don’t waste time.”

41And Maître Duplay, Republican though he was, enchanted to conduct me before a prince, took my coat, hat, trousers and boots, down stairs for Catherine to brush.

42At nine o’clock exactly, I was ready.

43We went along the Rue St. Honoré to the Rue de Valois, and, arm-in-arm, entered the Palais Royal by the gate which opens into that street.

44Maître Duplay gave his name. Citizen Laclos had, no doubt, given previous orders, for we were immediately admitted.

45Arrived at the first floor, no sooner had Duplay given his name, than they sent at once for M. Chanderlos de Laclos.

46M. Chanderlos de Laclos rushed up.

47“Is this the young fellow?” asked he.

48“Himself,” replied M. Duplay.

49“Let him come into the presence of his Highness.”

50He conducted me along a straight corridor into a boudoir, which led into a bed-room, the open door of which allowed me to see that the bed was unmade. The open windows, with the closed jalousies, gave access to a most refreshing breeze.

51His Royal Highness, clothed in a dressing-gown, made of cashmere, with a cap to match, was sipping tea—a new fashion imported from England; every one knows that his Highness was thoroughly English—with a charming dame of twenty-nine or thirty years of age, clothed in an elegant morning dress, and who was, as I afterward learnt, Madame Buffon.

52M. le Duc d’Orleans, afterwards so celebrated under the name of Philip Egalité, was a man of from forty-four to forty-five years of age; a fat, full figure, red complexion, with a good carriage, but the head a little too large—who, on account of a quarrel with the Queen, had been cruelly and unjustly treated by the court of inquiry into the naval engagement at Ouessant, where he had comported himself most bravely.

53The result of this, on his side, was a most bitter hatred of the Queen.

54He received me with a nod of the head; Madame de Buffon regarded me with curiosity. I was far from being elegant, but I possessed great propriety of manner. Without being handsome, I was at an age when youth supplies the want of beauty. I was tall, well-made, with an open expression of countenance, and a well-knit frame. The loyalty of my heart beamed upon my face. In short, I made the same impression upon the Duc d’Orleans and Madame de Buffon as I had upon the King, the Queen, and Madame Elizabeth—that of being a well-looking lad.

55“You come from Varennes, my friend?” said the Duke.

56“Yes, monseigneur,” replied I.

57“And you saw all that passed at the grocer’s—what do you call him?”

58“Sauce, monseigneur.”

59“So it is. And you also saw what took place on the road?”

60“Monseigneur, I have not lost sight of the royal family since their arrest.”

61“Aha! There is a lady, a thorough Royalist. She wishes to know all that has happened to her good King and dear Queen. Will you be kind enough to give her a history of it?”

62I commenced the account. When I mentioned Drouet, the Duke interrupted me to ask particulars about him. When I mentioned M. Dampierre, he made another interruption. He made another when I mentioned Barnave, Pétion, and Latour-Maubourg; in fact, he wished to know even the minutest particulars.

63Before I had finished, “Go and find Chartres,” he said to M. de Laclos.

64M. de Laclos went out; I continued my recital.

65It was nearly brought to an end, when the door opened, and gave entrance to a handsome young man, whom I had already seen at the Jacobin Club on the occasion of my first visit to Paris.

66The young Prince bowed respectfully to his father, gallantly kissed Madame Buffon’s hand, threw a scrutinizing glance on me, and seemed to bend his whole attention on what was passing.

67“I regret not having summoned you before, Chartres,” said the Duke. “Here is a young man who came to tell us an extremely interesting history of the journey from Varennes. He knew M. Drouet well—knew also the unhappy Comte de Dampierre. He has seen the commissioners sent by the National Assembly. He has seen all, in fact; and all he has seen, he has retained; and I am sure you would have felt great pleasure in listening to his recital.”

68“But,” said the Duc de Chartres, “perhaps this young gentleman will have the kindness——” Then, stopping, and looking at his father, “Better still,” continued he; “just as M. Laclos told me that you wished to see me, I was going to breakfast.”

69The Duc d’Orleans appeared to understand, and nodded his head imperceptibly. M. le Duc de Chartres did the same, pointing to me.

70“Will you do me the favor to breakfast with me?—and, during the meal, you can relate the whole affair.”

71I addressed myself to M. Laclos.

72“’Tis for me,” said I to him, “to thank his Highness for the great honor which he has conferred upon me; but it is for you to explain to him that I have left in the entrance-hall some one who awaits me; but that will not prevent me from giving Monseigneur,” continued I, turning to Duc d’Orleans, “the recital which I have just given you.”

73“But,” said the Duc de Chartres, smiling, “it will prevent you from accepting my breakfast.”

74“Monseigneur,” said I, “I am apprenticed to M. Duplay, your carpenter. It was he who had the goodness to tell M. Laclos that I should have the honor of being received this morning by the Prince, your father. It would be but a bad return, I think, for his kindness were I to leave him waiting in the ante-chamber—he who is my master,—whilst I had the honor of breakfasting with you. Excuse me,” said I, laughing. “I am a savage from the forest of Argonne; but, in all cases, I know Monseigneur to be sufficiently just and good to make him my judge in this case, and I promise faithfully to comply with his decree.”

75“But, sir,” said Madame de Buffon, “do you know that, for a savage——From what forest said you?”

76“The Forest of Argonne.”

77“You express yourself well. One would think that all your life you had been talking to princes.”

78“I have not all my life spoken to princes, but princes have often done me the honor to speak to me.”

79“Truly! Who were they?”

80“M. le Prince de Condé and M. le Duc d’Enghien. They used to hunt in the Forest of Argonne, and M. d’Enghien was in the habit of taking me with him.”

81“Well, nothing can astonish me, after this!” cried Madame de Buffon.

82“Did you see my cousin just before his departure?” asked the Duc de Chartres.

83“I am probably the last Frenchman to whom he paid the honor of shaking his hand.”

84“Well, then, you must accept my offer, and breakfast with me.”

85“That is my affair,” said the Duc. “Dear lady, methinks I heard you say that you have some carpentry work to be done in your apartments. I, for my part, have several orders to give Duplay. Let him be brought up, M. Laclos: we will give him our commands ourselves. Let him pass through the salle-à-manger, and there he can drink a health to the nation, in a glass of wine, with these young gentlemen.”

86Thus was the affair arranged.

87I told the Duc de Chartres, while breakfasting with him, all that related to our hunting expeditions in the Forest of Argonne, to my education, the death of Pére Descharmes, my sojourn at Varennes, the arrest of the King, and the return to Paris.

88“You are only half-armed, my dear M. Réné,” said the Duc de Chartres, when leaving me. “My cousin of Enghien gave you a gun: allow me to present you with a pair of pistols.”

89He then took down a pair from a trophy—they were of Versailles manufacture—and insisted on my accepting them, as they matched my gun in pattern.

90When I say insisted, perhaps I exaggerated a little, as nothing could give me greater pleasure than to accept his present.

91As for Duplay, he received an order of the value of 5,000 francs, and drank with the Duc de Chartres to the health of the nation, so that he returned home in the best of spirits, rejoiced to have combined, in his morning’s visit, pleasure and profit.