there dreaded recognition.  He therefore determined, in spite of M. de Bouille’s reiterated advice, to pass through Varennes.  The chief inconvenience of this road was, that there were no relays of post-horses, and it would be therefore necessary to send relays thither under different pretexts; the arrival of these relays would naturally create suspicion amongst the inhabitants of the small towns.  The presence of detachments along a road not usually frequented by troops was likewise dangerous, and M. de Bouille was anxious to dissuade the king from taking this road.  He pointed out to him in his answer, that if the detachments were strong they would excite the alarm and vigilance of the municipal authorities, and if they were weak they would be unable to afford him protection:  he also entreated him not to travel in a berlin made expressly for him, and conspicuous by its form, but to make use of two English carriages, then much in vogue, and better fitted for such a purpose; he, moreover, dwelt on the necessity of taking with him some man of firmness and energy to advise and assist him in the unforeseen accidents that might happen on his journey; he mentioned as the fittest person the Marquis d’Agoult, major in the French guards; and he lastly besought the king to request the Emperor to make a threatening movement of the Austrian troops on the frontier near Montmedy, in order that the disquietude and alarm of the population might serve as a pretext to justify the movements of the different detachments and the presence of the different corps of cavalry in the vicinity of the town.

The king agreed to this, and also to take with him the Marquis d’Agoult; to the rest he positively refused to accede.  A few days prior to his departure he sent a million in assignats (40,000_l._) to M. de Bouille, to furnish the rations and forage, as well as to pay the faithful troops who were destined to favour his flight.  These arrangements made, the Marquis de Bouille despatched a trusty officer of his staff, M. de Guoguelas, with instructions to make a minute and accurate survey of the road and country between Chalons and Montmedy, and to deliver an exact report to the king.  This officer saw the king, and brought back his orders to M. de Bouille.

In the meantime M. de Bouille held himself in readiness to execute all that had been agreed upon; he had sent to a distance the disaffected troops, and concentrated the twelve foreign battalions on which he could rely.  A train of sixteen pieces of artillery was sent towards Montmedy.  The regiment of Royal Allemand arrived at Stenay, a squadron of hussars was at Dun, another at Varennes; two squadrons of dragoons were to be at Clermont on the day the king would pass through; they were commanded by Count Charles de Damas, a bold and dashing officer, who had instructions to send forward a detachment to Sainte Menehould, and fifty hussars, detached from Varennes, were to march to Pont Sommeville between Chalons and Sainte Menehould, under