In the meantime, Thelin, unrestricted, to a certain degree, in his comings and goings, had been talking to the soldiers and remarked, as he passed out of the fortress, that he would not be back until quite late. As soon as he was out of their sight he sped to Ham for a cab which he had engaged the day before, and hurried to overtake the prince on the St. Quentin road. A few days after, Louis Napoleon wrote to a friend: “When about half a league from Ham, while awaiting Charles, I found myself opposite the Cemetery Cross and fell on my knees before it and thanked God—ah, do not laugh at it! There are instincts that are stronger than all philosophic arguments.” The prince hid his plank in a ditch, and sitting down on the side of the road, counted the minutes while he waited for Thelin. At last he saw him coming, and in about an hour they reached St. Quentin. Outside the city the prince alighted, leaving Thelin to go on alone; he removed his workman’s dress, hiding that also in a ditch, and then walked on to where he was to meet Thelin on the Valenciennes road. Thelin had taken another carriage at St. Quentin, and overtaking the prince, they arrived at Valenciennes about 3 o’clock. Here they had to wait two interminable hours for the train to Brussels. While they were waiting, Thelin heard a loud voice calling him by name. Their hearts sank in despair. It proved, however, to be a former _gendarme_ of Ham, who was now employed on the railroad. He asked for news of the prince and had a long conversation with Thelin but did not observe his companion. The railway train at last drew up, they entered, and soon passed the boundary. The government of King Louis Phillippe had lost its captive. Eight hours after putting the plank on his shoulder, Louis Napoleon was in Belgium; twelve hours later he was in England. Just as he arrived in London he passed an English acquaintance (Lord Malmesbury) who was on horseback and merely bowed in passing, without having an opportunity to speak. That evening Lord Malmesbury met at dinner an attaché of the French Embassy. “Have you seen him?” said he. “Seen whom?” asked the attaché. “Louis Napoleon; he has just arrived in London.” The diplomat left the table at once and went to communicate the news to his chief. All day long Dr. Conneau had experienced almost as much emotion as the fugitive himself. He well knew how essential it was that several hours should elapse before his flight should be suspected; the slightest suspicion would cause telegrams to be sent to St. Quentin and Valenciennes for his arrest. The great thing was to gain time and to prevent any one from entering the empty apartments. He made a report that, after a sleepless night, the captive had suffered so much pain that he (the doctor) had administered a medicine which caused him to sleep; and he requested that his patient should remain undisturbed.