“Léonard, you forget that her Majesty said that you were to obey me as you would herself.”
He then assisted the despairing hair-dresser to mount into the cabriolet, and lashed the horse into full speed in the direction of the Petite Vilette.
At the same hour that M. de Choiseul passed the barrier the three guards were admitted to the presence of the King, and then shut up in an ante-chamber.
At ten o’clock M. de Lafayette was announced.
He was attended by MM. de Gouvion and De Romeuf, his aides-de-camp.
Madame de Rochereul, his mistress, had told him that the flight was arranged for the same night.
The Queen and Madame Elizabeth had gone in the evening, without an escort, to promenade in the Bois de Boulogne.
M. de Lafayette, with the exquisite politeness which was one of his characteristics, asked the Queen if she had enjoyed her stroll; and added, “Your Majesty was wrong to stay out so late.”
“Why so, sir?” asked the Queen.
“Because the evening fog might do you an injury.”