isturbed career.

Mlle. de Kercadiou, too, was in Paris in those days of early August, on
a visit to her uncle's cousin and dearest friend, Mme. de Plougastel.
And although nothing could now be plainer than the seething unrest
that heralded the explosion to come, yet the air of gaiety, indeed of
jocularity, prevailing at Court--whither madame and mademoiselle went
almost daily--reassured them. M. de Plougastel had come and gone again,
back to Coblenz on that secret business that kept him now almost
constantly absent from his wife. But whilst with her he had positively
assured her that all measures were taken, and that an insurrection was
a thing to be welcomed, because it could have one only conclusion, the
final crushing of the Revolution in the courtyard of the Tuileries.
That, he added, was why the King remained in Paris. But for his
confidence in that he would put himself in the centre of his Swiss and
his knights of the dagger, and quit the capital. They would hack a way
out for him easily if his departure were opposed. But not even that
would be necessary.

Yet in those early days of August, after her husband's departure the
effect of his inspiring words was gradually dissipated by the march
of events under madame's own eyes. And finally on the afternoon of the
ninth, there arrived at the Hotel Plougastel a messenger from
Meudon bearing a note from M. de Kercadiou in which he urgently
bade mademoiselle join him there at once, and advised her hostess to
accompany her.

You may have realized that M. de Kercadiou was of those who make friends
with men of all classes. His ancient lineage placed him on terms of
equality with members of the noblesse; his simple manners--something
between the rustic and the bourgeois--and his natural affability placed
him on equally good terms with those who by birth were his inferiors.
In Meudon he was known and esteemed of all the simple folk, and it was
Rougane, the friendly mayor, who, informed on the 9th of August of the
storm that was brewing for the morrow, and knowing of mademoiselle's
absence in Paris, had warningly advised him to withdraw her from what in
the next four-and-twenty hours might be a zone of danger for all persons
of quality, particularly those suspected of connections with the Court
party.

Now there was no doubt whatever of Mme. de Plougastel's connection with
the Court. It was not even to be doubted--indeed, measure of proof of
it was to be forthcoming--tha