d come up were able, however, to maintain themselves in the
suburbs.

By this time la Rochejaquelein was aware that the armies of Brest,
Cherbourg, and the west were all upon him. All through the night
the battle went on, without interruption. The Republican columns
could gain no ground, and were frequently obliged to give way; but
behind the Vendean line of defence, panic was gaining ground among
the fugitives. Three or four thousand escaped by the road to Laval,
but the retreat of the rest was cut off by the cavalry.

In the morning, Kleber's division came up. They at once relieved
Marceau's division, which had been fighting all night, and renewed
the attack. The resistance was feeble. A few hundred men disputed
every foot of the way, and died with a consciousness that they had
at least covered the retreat of the rest.

A hot pursuit was at once organised and, while all taken in the
town were massacred at once, Westermann's cavalry pursued the
fugitives in all directions, covering the plain with corpses, and
pressing hard on the rear of the force that still held together.

Jean Martin had, the day before the Republican attack, gone with
Leigh to la Rochejaquelein's quarters; and told him that he
intended, if the town was captured by the enemy, to endeavour to
save the life of his wife by flight.

"You are quite right," Rochejaquelein said warmly. "I entirely
approve of your determination. As long as ten of my men hold
together, it is my duty to remain with them; for I have accepted
the position of their commander, and I must share their fate to the
end. But it is different with you. As the cause of La Vendee, for
which you have fought, is lost, your first duty now is to your
wife. I trust that you will all three succeed in making your way to
England, and enjoy there the peace and rest that none can have in
unhappy France. I thank you for your gallant services.

"And I thank you in the name of La Vendee, Leigh, for the manner in
which you have fought for her; and also for the companionship that
has so often cheered me, during our last days.

"As for myself, I have no wish to live. I should feel dishonoured
were the army I led to be exterminated, and I, who accepted the
responsibility of leading it, to survive. We have the consolation,
at least, that never in history has a people fought more bravely
against overpowering odds than La Vendee has done; and though at
present we are called brigands, I am sure that t