that it was a
proof of my enmity to the Convention that none of my people took
the side of the patriots.

"However, it tells both ways. I have over forty men here. They
have, of course, friends among the porters and others working on
the wharves; and a disturbance might take place, were I arrested.
However, the scoundrels have now got such absolute power that, no
doubt, they feel that they could disregard any local rising and,
indeed, with the plunder of my store before them, they could reckon
on the devotion of the greater part of the mob of the town."

On the morning after the Henriette had sailed, the merchant took
Leigh down to a little wayside inn, half a mile below the town,
where he had placed his carriage and horses; and gave instructions
to his coachman that he was to place himself under Leigh's orders.

"At whatever hour of the day or night he comes, you will start at
once with him, and the lady and child who accompany him. You will
know in that case that I am not coming, but have been arrested."

"But, master--"

"It must be as I say, Pierre. Once I am arrested--and it is almost
certain my wife would be arrested with me--nothing can be done to
help, and it would be a great satisfaction to me to know that my
friends have escaped. There will be in that case no need of extreme
haste, for no one knows that they are in any way connected with me,
and there will be no inquiries for them."

Leigh told Patsey that afternoon that, in the event of the
Flambards being arrested, he might possibly, instead of coming
himself, send a messenger to her; and that she must then start at
once, and await his coming in front of the church, at the end of
the street in which the merchant's house stood.

"You had better have a letter written to our landlady, inclosing
the sum due to her and a week's rent in advance; and say that we
are hastily called away to Blaye, but may return in a few days, and
begging her to keep the rooms vacant for a week, for which you
leave the money. You had better write the letter at once, so that
if you get my message you can leave instantly. There is nothing
like being prepared for everything. Of course the arrest of the
Flambards would not really affect us in any way, or add to our
danger; but if the coachman were to hear of it before we got there,
he might disregard his master's orders, and return at once with the
carriage."

Leigh had in his mind the very short notice that Desailles had had