"What time will it take?"
"The King can go from Paris to Montmedy in thirty-six hours."
"What have you decided about the relay of horses at Varennes? where we must be certain not to want for them; it is most important."
"I have investigated the spot and decided to place the horses on the other side of the little town. It will be better to dash through, coming full speed from Clermont, and change horses five hundred paces from the bridge, guarded and defended if signalled by three or four men."
Charny gave the King a paper.
It was Bouille's arrangement of the stations of the troops along the road for the royal escape. The cover would be that the soldiers were waiting to convoy some money sent by the War Minister.
"Everything has been foreseen," said the King delightedly. "But talking of money, do you know whether Bouille has received the million I sent him?"
"Yes, but as assignats are below par, he would lose twenty per cent on the gross amount, only for a faithful subject of your Majesty who cashed, as if gold, a hundred thousand crowns' worth."
"And the rest?" inquired the King, eyeing the speaker.