This courier was poor Léonard, with his cabriolet. He came to tell M. Damas that he had left M. de Choiseul at Pont-de-Somme-Vesles, at half-past four, and that up to that time no courier had arrived. Léonard told him also the danger that M. Gorguelot, M. Boudet, and their forty hussars, had incurred. M. Damas ran no less risk. The same excitement prevailed everywhere. The sight of his soldiers had provoked murmurs. The hour for retreat approached, and he knew that it would be difficult to keep the men under arms, and the horses saddled, during the whole night, so manifest had the hostile demonstrations become. In this interval the cracking of postilions’ whips announced from afar the arrival of the carriages. M. Bouillé’s orders were to mount half an hour after the passage of the carriages, and to fall back upon Montmedy, in passing by Varennes. M. de Damas rushed to the door, told the King what orders he had received from de Bouillé, and asked him what his orders were. “Let the carriages pass without making any remark,” replied the King, “and follow with your dragoons.” During this time, incredible as it may appear, a discussion arose between the person charged with the payment of the postilion and the postmaster. It is a double post from St. Menehould to Varennes. They did not wish to pay more than single. Ten minutes were lost in this squabble, which estranged the people, who were helping. At last, the carriages set off. They could have been half a league distant when Drouet arrived. Above Islettes, he and Guillaume separated, Guillaume took the short cut by the wood, and thus gained a league; while Drouet followed the road, striving to arrive at Clermont before the King or, if he could not succeed in that, at any rate to catch him up at Varennes. On the other hand, thanks to the advantage which the short cut gave him, Guillaume was sure to arrive at Varennes before the King. If the King took the Châlons route, Drouet would arrive at Verdun before him. Drouet arrived at Châlons, not in time to arrest the King, but in time to prevent the dragoons from following him. M. de Damas’s dragoons were on horseback. M. de Damas ordered them to march four deep, with their swords drawn in their hand; but they stood motionless, thrusting their swords into their scabbards. At this moment, the municipal officers appeared. They commanded M. de Damas to order his men back to their barracks, as the hour for retreat had passed away. During this time, Drouet had changed his horse and started off at a gallop. M. de Damas, who had not yet lost all hope of taking off his men, doubted to what end M. Drouet had set off. He called a dragoon, on whose fidelity he knew that he could depend; ordered him to catch up Drouet; stop him from following that road; and, if he resisted to slay him. The name of the dragoon was Legache.