The hussars, as yet, were not at their posts; all around was tranquil. He alighted at the post-house, his example being followed by Léonard, who had the diamonds still concealed in his bosom, and asked for a private chamber in which to don his uniform. Léonard watched him; his cup of misery was filled to the brim. Now that M. de Choiseul had, as he believed, nothing to fear, he found time to pity him. “My dear Léonard!” said he, “it is time that you knew the whole truth.” “How the truth? Do I not, then, already know the truth?” “You know a portion. It is now my duty to tell you the rest. You are devoted to your customers, are you not, my dear Léonard?” “In life and death, M. le Comte.” “Well, in two hours they will be here—in two hours they will be saved.” The hot tears coursed down poor Léonard’s cheeks, but this time they were tears of joy. “In two hours?” cried he, at last. “Are you sure of it?” “Yes; they were to have left the Tuileries at eleven or half-past, in the evening; they were to arrive at Châlons at mid-day; and an hour, or, at most, an hour and a half, is sufficient to cover the four leagues from Châlons to this place. They will be here in an hour at the latest. I am awaiting a detachment of hussars, which should arrive here under the command of M. Goguelot.” Hearing a rumbling sound, M. de Choiseul put his head out of the window. “Ah, there they are, coming from the direction of Cilloy!” And, in fact, the hussars were, at the moment, on the point of entering the village. “Come on!—all is well!” said M. de Choiseul. And he waved his hat, making signs out of the window. A horseman approached at a gallop. M. de Choiseul went down stairs to meet him. The two gentlemen met in the high road. The horseman, who was M. Goguelot, gave M. de Choiseul a packet from M. de Bouillé. This packet contained six blank signatures, and a copy of the order which had been given by the King to every officer of the army whatsoever his grade, commanding them in all things to obey M. de Choiseul. The hussars rode up. M. de Choiseul ordered them to picket their horses, and caused rations of bread and wine to be served out to them. The news which M. Goguelot brought was bad. All along his route, everybody had been in a state of expectation. The reports of the King’s flight, which had been disseminated about for more than a year, had spread from Paris to the provinces; and the sight of the different bodies of men arriving at Dun, Varennes, Clermont, and St. Menehould, had awakened suspicion. The tocsin had been sounded in a village by the side of the road. M. de Choiseul had ordered dinner for M. de Goguelot and himself. The two young men drew up to the table, leaving the detachment under the command of M. de Boudet. At the expiration of half an hour, M. de Choiseul fancied that he heard a noise outside the door. He went out. The peasants from the neighboring villages had begun to crowd round the soldiers.