MISCHANCE.
Ten minutes after young Charny rode out, the King's coach rumbled in.
As the duke had foreseen, the crowd had dissolved almost completely.
Knowing that a detachment of soldiery was to be at Sommevelle, Charny had thought he need not linger and had galloped beside the door, urging on the postillions and keeping them up to the hand-gallop.
On arriving and seeing neither Choiseul nor the escort, the King stuck his head out of the window.
"For mercy's sake, do not show yourself," said Charny; "let me inquire."
In five minutes he returned from the postinghouse where he had learnt all, and he repeated it to the monarch. They understood that the count had withdrawn to leave the road open. No doubt he had fallen back on St. Menehould where they ought to hasten to find him with the hussars and dragoons.
"What am I to do?" asked Charny as they were about to proceed again; "does the Queen order me to go ahead or ride in the rear?"
"Do not leave me," said the Queen.
He bowed, and rode by the carriage side.
During this time Isidore rode on, gaining on the vehicle, and fearing that the people of St. Menehould would also take umbrage at having the soldiers in their town. He was not wrong.
The first thing he perceived there was a goodly number of National Guards scattered about the streets; they were the first seen since he left the capital.
The whole town seemed in a stir and on the opposite side, drums were beating.
He dashed through the streets without appearing to notice the tumult: crossing the square he stopped at the postinghouse.
On a bench in the square he noticed a dozen dragoons not in their helmets but fatigue caps, sitting at ease. Up at a ground floor window lounged Marquis Dandoins in undress, also, with a riding whip in his hand.
Isidore passed without seeming to look, presuming that the captain would recognize the royal courier by his uniform and not need any other hint.
At the posthouse was a young man whose hair was cut short in the Emperor Titus fashion which the Patriots adopted in the period: he wore his beard all round the lower face from ear to ear. He was in a dressing gown.
"What do you want?" challenged the black-whiskered man, seeing that the new-comer was looking round.
"To speak to the postmaster."
"He is out just now, but I am his son, Jean Baptiste Drouet. If I can replace him, speak."
He had emphasized his name as though he fore-felt that it would take a place on the historic page.
"I want six horses for two carriages coming after me."
Drouet nodded to show that he would fulfill the order and walked into the stable yard, calling out:
"Turn out there! six horses for carriages and a nag for the courier."
At this nick Marquis Dandoins hurriedly came up to Isidore.
"You are preceding the King's coach, I suppose?" he questioned.
"Yes, my lord, and I am surprised to see that you and your men are not in the battle array."
"We have not been notified; besides, very ugly manifestations have been made around us; attempts to make my men mutiny. What am I to do?"
"Why, as the King passes, guard the vehicle, act as circumstances dictate, and start off half an hour after the Royal Family to guard the rear." But he interrupted himself saying: "Hush, we are spied. Perhaps we have been overheard. Get away to your squadron and do all you can to keep your men steadfast."
Indeed, Drouet was at the kitchen door where this dialogue was held. Dandoins walked away.
At this period, cracking of whips was heard: the royal coach rolled up across the square and stopped at the posthouse.
At the noise it made, the population mustered around the spot with curiosity.
Captain Dandoins, whose heart was sore about the oversight, and wanting to explain why his men were standing at ease instead of being ready for action, darted up to the carriage window, taking off his cap and bowing, with all kind of respect to excuse himself to the sovereign and the Royal Family. To answer him the King put his head out of the window several times.
Isidore, with his foot in the stirrup, was near Drouet who watched the conveyance with profound attention: he had been up to town to the Federation Festival and he had seen the King whom he believed he recognized. That morning he had received a number of the new issue of assignats the paper money of the State which bore the monarch's head: he pulled one out and compared it with the original. This seemed to cry out to him: "You have the man before you."
Isidore went round the carriage to the other side where his brother was masking the Queen by leaning his elbow on the window.
"The King is recognized," he said; "hurry off the carriage and take a good look at that tall dark fellow—the postmaster's son, who has recognized the King. His name is Jean Baptiste Drouet."
"Right," responded George, "I will look to him. You, be off!"
Isidore galloped on to Clermont to have the fresh horses ready there.
Scarcely was he through the town before the vehicle started off, by Malden and Valory pressing and the promise of extra money.
Charny had lost sight of Drouet who did not budge, but was talking with the groom. The count went up to him.
"Was there no horse ordered for me, sir?" he demanded.
"One was ordered, but we are out of them."
"What do you mean—when here is a saddled horse in the yard."
"That is mine."
"But you can let me have it. I do not mind what I pay."
"Impossible. I have a journey to make, and it cannot be postponed."
To insist was to cause suspicions; to take by force was to ruin all. He thought of a means to smoothe over the difficulty. He went over to Captain Dandoins who was watching the royal carriage going round the corner. He turned on a hand being laid on his shoulder.
"Hush, I am Count Charny," said the Lifeguard. "I cannot get a horse here. Let me have one of your dragoons' as I must follow the King and the Queen. I alone know where the relays set by the Count of Choiseul are, and if I am not at hand the King will be brought to a standstill at Varennes."
"Count, you must take my charger, not one of my men's."
"I accept. The welfare of the Royal Family depends on the least accident. The better the steed the better the chances."
The two went through the town to the marquis' lodgings. Before departing Charny charged a quarter-master to watch young Drouet.
Unfortunately the nobleman's rooms were five hundred paces away. When the horses were saddled a quarter of an hour had gone by; for the marquis had another got ready as he was to take up the rear guard duty over the King.
Suddenly it seemed to Charny that he heard great clamor and could distinguish shouts of "The Queen, the Queen!"
He sprang from the house, begging Dandoins to have the horse brought to the square.
The town was in an uproar. Scarcely had Charny and his brother noble gone, as if Drouet had waited for it, he shouted out:
"That carriage which went by is the King's! in it are the King, the Queen, and the Royals!"
He jumped on his horse; some friends sought to detain him.
"Where are you off to? what do you intend? what is your project?"
"The colonel and the troop are here. We could not stop the King without a riot which might turn out ill for us. What cannot be done here can be done at Clermont. Keep back the dragoons, that is all I ask."
And away galloped he on the track of the King.
Hence the shouting that the King and the Queen had gone through, as Charny heard. Those shouts set the mayor and councilmen afoot; the mayor ordered the soldiers into the barracks as eight o'clock was striking and it was the hour when soldiers had no business to be about in arms.
"Horses!" cried Charny as Dandoins joined him.
"They are coming."
"Have you pistols in the holsters?"
"I loaded them myself."
"Good! Now, all hangs on the goodness of your horse. I must catch up with a man who has a quarter-hour's start, and kill him."
"You must kill him——"
"Or, all is lost!"
"Do not wait for the horses, then."
"Never mind me; you, get your men out before they are coaxed over; look at the mayor speechifying to them! you have no time to lose either; make haste!"
At this instant up came the orderly with the two chargers. Charny took the nearest at hazard, snatched the reins from the man's hands, leaped astride, drove in both spurs and burst away on the track of Drouet, without clearly comprehending what the marquis yelled after him. Yet these words were important.
"You have taken my horse and not yours, and the pistols are not loaded!"