promptly and emphatically refused consent.

The surprise of the Noailles family can be imagined when they heard
that the quiet, reserved youth had suddenly decided to cross the sea
and take up the fragile cause of a few colonists revolting against a
great monarchy. It was not long before all came to admit that the soul
of the big boy had in it a goodness and a valor that nothing could
daunt.

Many, however, who heard about the project Lafayette entertained felt
a new admiration for the spirited boy. One of these smartly said that
if Madame de Lafayette's father, the Duc d'Ayen, could have the heart
to thwart such a son-in-law, he ought never to hope to marry off his
remaining daughters! It made no difference to this lordly family that
the tidings of the American revolt were echoing through Europe and
awakening emotions that those monarchies had never experienced before;
nor did they notice that the young nobility of France were feeling the
thrill of a call to serve in a new cause. They were blind to those
signs of the times; and no one dared to speak of them to the Duke
d'Ayen, for he, with the other ruling members of the family, violently
opposed Lafayette's plan.

While these things were going on, word came that those audacious
colonists had carried their project so far as to issue a Declaration
of Independence of the British government and to set up for themselves
as a nation. The Noailles family were amazed, but they could not
change their point of view.

Not being able to unravel all the threads of destiny that were enmeshing
him, Lafayette was working in the dark, only knowing that he wanted to
go, and that he could not bring himself to give up the project. He knew
also that he must depend solely upon himself. Then there came into his
mind the motto that he had since boyhood seen upon the shield of one of
his famous ancestors in the castle at Chaviniac--"Cur non," Why not? He
adopted this motto for his own and placed it as a device upon his coat of
arms, that it might be an encouragement to himself as well as an answer
to the objections of others.

Lafayette consulted his commander and relative, the Count de Broglie.
He on his part did all he could to dissuade the lad; he pointed out
that the scheme was Utopian; he showed up its great hazards; he said
that there was no advantage to be had in going to the aid of those
insignificant rebels--that there was no glory to be gained. Lafayette
listened respectfully