"General," I said, "I have waited till the most pressing matters were over; but now here I am and in the capacity of a beggar." "Come, now!" he said, laughing, "is it a prefecture you are wanting, by the way?" "God forbid, no!... I want to go to la Vendée." "What for?" "To see if there is any means of organising a National Guard." "Do you know the country?" "No, but I can learn all about it." "There is something in your idea," said the general. "Come and breakfast with me some morning and we will discuss it." "Here, General?" "Certainly." "Thanks, General.... And, at the same time, may I ask you to tell me something?" "What?" "Tell me ... I am going to ask you an odd question, I know, but the fall of the Bourbons deprives it of half its gravity ... tell me how it has come about that, after being mixed up--as I know through Dermoncourt you have been--in all the conspiracies of Béfort, Saumur and la Rochelle, you have never yet been arrested." La Fayette began to laugh. "You put me a question that has already been asked more than once, and to which I have replied that I attribute my impunity to good luck; that has been my answer to the question hitherto; but now, thank God! I can give another reason.... Your wish, however, changes the place of our breakfast together, and, instead of coming here, come to my house.... You know my address?" "Do you not recollect that I was there a week ago?" "I beg your pardon, so you were." "When shall the breakfast be, General?" "Let me see ... to-day is the 5th ... what about to-morrow? or if not then, it must not be until the 10th or the 11th." "I would prefer to-morrow, General; I am eager to start. So it shall be to-morrow in the rue d'Anjou-Saint-Honoré?" "Yes." "At what time?" "Nine o'clock.... It is early, I know, but I should like to be here at eleven." "Don't be afraid, General, I will not keep you waiting." "We shall be by ourselves, for I wish to talk at length and undisturbed with you." "You are conferring a twofold favour on me, General." Some deputation or other was announced at this juncture and I withdrew. Next day, at ten minutes to nine, I presented myself at No. 6 Rue d'Anjou-Saint-Honoré. The general was waiting for me in his study. "We will have breakfast in here, if you don't mind. We shall then have certain things to hand necessary for our conversation." I smiled. He stopped me short, seeing that I was going to renew my question of the previous day. "Let us first talk of your plan for la Vendée." "Willingly, General." "Have you thought more about it?" "As much as I am capable of reflecting on any subject: I am a man of impulses and not given to reflection." "Well, then, tell me all about your proposition." "My proposal is that you send me to la Vendée to see if it be possible to organise a National Guard there to protect that part of the country itself; and to oppose any Royalist plots, should such arise."