e favour with the
government. Bonaparte had answered one of this gentleman's memorials by
subscribing it with a sentence in his own writing: "We cannot
re-purchase the nation." This gentleman spoke highly, but perhaps
unjustly, of the vigour of Bonaparte's government, of his inflexible
love of justice, and his personal attention to the administration. I
compelled him, however, to acknowledge, that in his own immediate
concerns, the justice of the French Chief was not proof against his
passions. I mentioned the Duke of Enghien; the gentleman pushed on his
horse, and begged me to say no more of the matter.

Upon my return I had an excellent supper, and what was still more
welcome, a bed which reminded me of those at an English coffee-house.

CHAP. VI.

_Departure from Montreuil--French Conscripts--Extreme Youth--Excellent
Roads--Country Labourers--Court for the Claims
of Emigrants--Abbeville--Companion on the Road--Amiens._

AS I wished to reach Paris as soon as possible, I had ordered the
chambermaid to call me at an early hour in the morning; but was awakened
previous to the appointed time by some still earlier travellers--a very
numerous detachment of conscripts, who were on their march for the
central _depot_ of the department. The greater part of them were boys,
and were merry and noisy in a manner characteristic of the French youth.
Seeing me at the window, one of them struck up a very lively
_reveillee_, and was immediately joined by others who composed their
marching band. They were attended, and their baggage carried, by a
peculiar kind of cart--a platform erected on wheels, and on which they
ascended when fatigued. The vehicles were prepared, the horses
harnessed, and the young conscripts impatiently waiting for the word to
march.

When I came down into the inn-yard, no one was stirring in the house
except the ostler, who, upon my mentioning the component items of my
entertainment, very fairly, as I thought, reckoned them up, and received
the amount, taking care to remind me of the chambermaid. Having with
some difficulty likewise procured from him a glass of milk, I mounted my
horse, and followed the conscripts, who, with drum and fife, were
merrily but regularly marching before me. The regularity of the march
continued only till they got beyond the town, and down the hill, when
the music ceased, the ranks broke, and every one walked or ran as he
pleased. As they were somewhat too noisy for a medi