w
and did not move all day except for meals. The night and all next day
passed in the same manner. On Thursday June 4th they put some bread,
bacon and jugs of cider in their wallets and left about nine in the
evening. On Friday Allain appeared at the inn of Aubigny alone; he
ordered the servant to take some food to the place where the Caen and
Harcourt roads met. Two men were waiting there, who took the food and
went off in haste. Allain went to bed about two in the morning; about
midday on Saturday as he was sitting down to table a carriage stopped at
the inn door; Lefebre and Mme. Acquet got out. They brought seven guns
which were carried up to the loft. They talked; Mme. Acquet took some
lemons from a little basket, and cut them into a bowl filled with white
wine and brandy, and she and Lefebre drank while consulting together.
The heat was intolerable and all three were overcome. Mme. Acquet had to
be helped to her carriage and Lefebre undertook to conduct her to
Falaise. Allain, left alone at Aubigny, ordered supper "for six or seven
persons." He was attending to its preparation when a horseman appeared
and asked to speak with him. It was Dusaussay who brought news. He had
come straight from Argentan where he had seen the coach, laden with
chests of silver, enter the yard of the inn of Point-de-France; he
described the waggon, the harness and the driver, then remounted and
rode rapidly away. Just then the entire band reappeared, led by Flierle.
Arms were distributed, and the men stood round the table eating hastily.
They filled their wallets with bread and cold meat and left at night.
Allain and Flierle accompanied them and returned to the inn after two
hours' absence. They did not sleep; they were heard pacing heavily up
and down the loft until daylight. On Sunday, June 7, Allain paid the
reckoning, bought a short axe and an old gun from the innkeeper, making
eight guns in all at the disposal of the band. At seven in the morning
he left with Flierle, and three leagues from there, arrived at the wood
of Quesnay where his men had passed the night.

The waggon destined for the transportation of the funds had been loaded
on the 5th at Alencon, in the yard of the house of M. Decres,
receiver-general of the Orne, with five heavy chests containing 33,489
francs, 92 centimes. On the 6th, the carrier, Jean Gousset, employed by
the manager of stage coaches at Alencon, had harnessed three horses to
it, and escorted by two gen