next day in a ditch. Still there was another meeting to take
place. At the hamlet of Bondy they were to meet the two waiting-women,
with their luggage in the new chaise, and postilions with fresh horses.
There they were at Bondy, while every one else was asleep. They had
been waiting some time. Here Count Fersen took his leave. How must the
party have felt towards him! How must they have longed to say what they
must not say before the postilions, in whose eyes Count Fersen must be a
driver, and nothing more! He met his coachman and chariot on the north
road, and got safely away. It must have given him satisfaction all the
rest of his life to look back on this adventure, in which his part was
so admirably performed. Perhaps, if he had been of the party for
another day or two, things might have gone better with the fugitives
than they did.

Now they had to take care of their behaviour, lest, by any
forgetfulness, they should cause suspicion as to who they were. Madame
de Tourzel had to act the Baroness de Korff, and call the princess and
the dauphin her children. The king, who wore a wig, was her valet, and
the queen her waiting-maid. The Princess Elizabeth was her travelling
companion. We know nothing of how they supported these characters at
the places where they stopped. One may imagine the queen putting some
spirit into her part; but one can never fancy the king doing anything in
the service of Madame de Tourzel. They stopped as little as they could,
however; and yet they did not get on fast. How should a heavy coach,
with nine people in and on it, get on fast? How much wiser would it
have been to have travelled separately, and like other people! The
king's brother and his lady did so; going in common carriages towards
Flanders, by different roads, and finding no difficulty. At one point
their roads crossed, and they happened to meet while changing horses.
They had the presence of mind to take no notice, and drove off their
separate ways without a look or sign. The Princess de Lamballe
travelled in the same way towards England, without impediment. It was
lamentable folly in the king and queen to choose a way of journeying
which must attract all eyes.

This sort of notice began almost before it was light. About sunrise
they passed, in the wood of Bondy, a poor herb-man, with his ass and
panniers of greens. When the hue and cry began, this herb-man told of
the fine new berlin he had seen in the