They had scarcely finished their disguise, when the King entered, in his costume of intendant.
For the last eight days, the King’s valet, Hue, had been in the habit of going out in the costume the King now wore, and by the same door the King intended to depart from. This was done in order to accustom the sentinel to a man dressed in gray.
On arriving, he released the three guards from their hiding-place.
Madame Royale was ready, but the Dauphin was not. He had been awakened from his first sleep; and so, for the sake of disguise, it had been arranged to dress him like a girl. He made all sorts of objections to the humiliating costume.
He asked, “If he were intended to act in a comedy?” They replied “Yes.” And as he liked comedies, he allowed them to finish his toilette.
The gardes du corps received their last instructions.
They were to travel as far as Bondy on M. de Fersen’s horses; after that they were to take post.
They had calculated that, if they went at a moderate rate, they would be at Châlons in twelve or fourteen hours. They approached the door, and listened. All was silent.
Let us see with what difficulties they encompassed themselves.
Firstly, against M. de Bouillé’s advice, who proposed two English diligences, the Queen had had made two enormous berlins, in which she might put her trunks, boxes and bags.