n had declared
war, were descending through the passes of the Pyrenees; an English army
was collected in Holland to co-operate with the Duke of Saxe-Cobourg;
and the royalists in the Vendee had gained several victories over the
troops of the republican government. Dumouriez evacuated all the places
he held in the Netherlands, and slowly retired towards the French
frontier. In his route he met a great number of persons who were flying
from Paris to escape the guillotine, many of whom encouraged him to
persevere in the enterprise. The designs of Dumouriez, however, did
not pass unsuspected at Paris, and three commissioners, friends of his
mortal foe, Marat, were dispatched to watch his movements, under the
pretence of conferring with him concerning the affairs of Belgium. In
an interview with these commissioners, Dumouriez expressed himself
with great violence against the Jacobins, and denounced the republican
constitution as too silly a thing to last. "Ever since the battle of
Jemappe," he observed "I have regretted every advantage I have gained in
the field for so bad a cause." Growing warm in conversation, he likewise
remarked:--"The convention is composed of two hundred brigands and five
hundred fools. As long as I have three inches of steel at my side,
I will never suffer it to reign or to shed blood by means of the
revolutionary tribunals they have just established." All Dumouriez said
was carefully treasured up in the minds of these commissioners, and,
on their return, reported to the Jacobins. In the mean time, Dumouriez
attempted to gain possession of the three important frontier fortresses
of Lille, Conde, and Valenciennes. Some secret communication with
friends was opened by him in these fortresses, but the convention had
sent commissioners to each of them, and both the populace and the troops
were declared republicans, so that his designs were frustrated. Thus
unsuccessful, Dumouriez removed his head-quarters to the baths of Saint
Arnaud. Meanwhile the convention had summoned him to their bar, and
imagining that he would not come without compulsion, had despatched four
of their members to bring him and win over his army. The commissioners
transmitted their orders to Dumouriez, while they remained at Lille; and
finding that he did not obey them, they resolved to proceed to the
camp. Dumouriez received the commissioners at the head of his staff, but
refused to quit his troops; at the same time he promised, at a ca