M. Drouet recognised me. “Ah! is it you Réné?” he exclaimed. “Follow me!” Sticking his spurs into his horse, he seemed to sink into the ground, so quickly did he disappear down the declivity of the Rue des Réligieuses. “Here I am! Here I am, M. Drouet!” cried I, following quickly behind him. M. Drouet dashed down the Rue des Réligieuses, crossed, like a flash of lightning the Place Latry, plunged under the arch, and reappeared in a moment on the other side, in front of the “Hotel Bras d’Or,” running up against another cavalier as he did so. “Is it thou, Drouet?” said the cavalier. “Is it thou, Guillaume?” cried Drouet. “Yes!” “Yes!” each replied simultaneously. Both dismounted, that they might pass under the entrance of the inn. In the meantime, the billiard-players, hearing a noise, rushed to the window, to see what it meant. “Be on your guard!” cried M. Drouet. “The King, with his family, are trying to escape! They are travelling in two carriages. Wake up M. Sauce!—cry ‘Fire! fire!’ Guillaume and I will guard the bridge.” At this moment, I arrived, and dashed against the door of the Procureur de la Commune, crying as loud as I could, “Fire! fire!” as M. Drouet had recommended. In the meantime, he and Guillaume had disappeared down the Rue Neuve. At the end of the bridge, they encountered a cart filled with furniture. “Whose cart is that?” cried M. Drouet. “Mine,” replied the driver. “Ah, is it yours, Regnier?” said Guillaume. “You, I know, are a good patriot. Turn your cart across the bridge; it will stop the passage of the king.” “The King?” “Yes; the King. He wishes to get to the Place of the ‘Grand Monarque,’ where the hussars await him.” “I have seen them,” said Guillaume. “And I also,” said Regnier. “Now to work,” said the two young men. “Yes; to work!” replied the proprietor of the furniture. And all three with their united efforts, managed to upset the cart across the bridge. When the operation was finished, they listened. They heard the rumble of the carriages, which descended the Rue des Réligieuses at full speed, at the same time the cry of “Fire! fire!” burst upon their ears. I will now tell you what occurred on the high road, after M. Drouet and I left the two carriages, as well as I can from the description given me afterwards by M. de Préfontaine, who, though he had closed his door, took good care to open his window, and, therefore, saw and heard all that passed. M. de Valory, when he fell, did not abandon his hold on the bridle of his horse, and as he tumbled on soft ground, he escaped with a few bruises. He was, therefore, soon again mounted, and, threatening the postilions with his raised whip, he cried, “Well, wretches, have you understood?” “Certainly; and have you?” “What?” “That which M. Drouet said. He told us not to go any farther.” “You dare to quote M. Drouet, when the King commands!”