In a little while there was another panic. The king was sure they were
going the wrong way. They ought to leave Paris by the north-eastern
road; but they were now going straight north. The king might have been
sure that the Count knew which way to drive, after managing so well all
else that he had to do. He was only going to Madame Sullivan's, to make
sure that the new berlin was gone to the place where they were to meet
it. All was right. Count Fersen's servant had called for the Baroness
de Korff's coach, an hour and a half before. So on they went, through
the north entrance, turning immediately eastwards; and when fairly free
of Paris, they came in sight of the great coach, waiting by the
roadside, with its six horses, and the Count's coachman on the box.
The party made haste to settle themselves in the berlin; for too much
time had been lost already. Count Fersen was again the driver. His
coachman went off in another direction, to have his master's chariot
ready for him, at some distance on the north road. Who then was there
to drive home the glass-coach? Nobody. So they turned the horses'
heads towards the city, and set them off by themselves; and the coach
was found next day in a ditch. Still there was another meeting to take
place. At the hamlet of Bondy they were to meet the two waiting-women,
with their luggage in the new chaise, and postilions with fresh horses.
There they were at Bondy, while every one else was asleep. They had
been waiting some time. Here Count Fersen took his leave. How must the
party have felt towards him! How must they have longed to say what they
must not say before the postilions, in whose eyes Count Fersen must be a
driver, and nothing more! He met his coachman and chariot on the north
road, and got safely away. It must have given him satisfaction all the
rest of his life to look back on this adventure, in which his part was
so admirably performed. Perhaps, if he had been of the party for
another day or two, things might have gone better with the fugitives
than they did.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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