and regiment, which was at Stenay, to mount and
follow him. The colonel of this regiment had received the previous
evening orders to keep the horses saddled. This order had not been
executed, and the regiment lost three quarters of an hour, in spite of
the repeated messages of M. de Bouille, who sent his own son to the
barracks. The general was powerless without this regiment, and no sooner
were they outside the town than M. de Bouille endeavoured to ascertain
its disposition towards the king. "Your king," said he, "who was
hastening hither to dwell amongst you, has been stopped by the
inhabitants of Varennes, within a few leagues. Will you let him remain a
prisoner, exposed to every insult at the hands of the national guards?
Here are his orders: he awaits you; he counts every moment. Let us march
to Varennes. Let us hasten to deliver him, and restore him to the nation
and liberty."

Loud acclamations followed this speech. M. de Bouille distributed 500 or
600 louis amongst the soldiers, and the regiment marched forward.

Stenay is at least nine leagues from Varennes, and the road very hilly
and bad. M. de Bouille, however, used all possible dispatch, and at a
little distance from Varennes he met the advanced guard of the regiment,
halted at the entrance of a little wood, defended by a body of the
national guard. M. de Bouille ordered them to charge, and putting
himself at the head of the troop, arrived at Varennes at a quarter to
nine, closely followed by the regiment. Whilst reconnoitring the town,
previous to an attack, he observed a troop of hussars, who appeared also
to watch the town. It was the squadron from Dun, commanded by M.
Derlons, who had passed the night here, awaiting reinforcements. M.
Derlons hastened to inform the general that the king had left the town
more than an hour and a half; he added, the bridge was broken, the
streets barricaded; that the hussars of Clermont and Varennes had
fraternised with the people, and the commanders of the detachments, MM.
de Choiseul, de Damas, and de Guoguelas, were prisoners. M. de Bouille,
baffled, but not discouraged, resolved to follow the king, and rescue
him from the hands of the national guard. He despatched officers to find
a ford by which they could pass the river; but, unfortunately, although
one existed, they were unable to find it.

Whilst thus engaged, he learnt that the garrisons of Metz and Verdun
were advancing with a train of artillery to the aid of