n hiding?

The committee received him cautiously and inquired in regard to the
nature of his mission.

"His Most Christian Majesty the King of France," said he, "has heard of
your struggle for a defense of your rights and for liberty. He has
desired me to meet you as his representative, and to express to you his
respect and sympathy, and to say to you in secrecy that should the time
come when you needed aid, his assistance would not be withheld."

This was news of moment. The committee expressed their gratitude and
satisfaction, and said:

"Will you give us the evidence of your authority that we may present it
to Congress?"

His answer was strange.

"Gentlemen," said he, drawing his hand across his throat, "I shall take
care of my head."

"But," said one of the committee, "in an event of such importance we
desire to secure the friendly opinion of Congress."

"Gentlemen," making the same gesture, "I shall take care of my head." He
then said impressively: "If you want arms, you may have them; if you
want ammunition, you may have it; if you want money, you may have it.
Gentlemen, I shall take care of my head."

He went out and disappeared from public view. He is such a mysterious
character in our history as to recall the man with the Iron Mask. Did he
come from the King of France? None knew, or could ever tell.

Diplomacy employed secret messengers at this time. It was full of
suggestions, intrigues, and mysteries.

But there was one thing that this lame but courtly French officer did:
he made an impression on the minds of the committee that the colonies
had a friend in his "Most Christian Majesty the King of France," and
from him they might hope for aid and for an alliance in their struggle
for independence. Here was topic indeed for the secret committee.

On the 26th of September, 1776, Congress elected three ambassadors to
represent the American cause in the court of France; they were Silas
Deane, Arthur Lee, and Benjamin Franklin. Before leaving the country
Franklin collected all the money that he could command, some four
thousand pounds, and lent it to Congress. Taking with him his two
grandsons, he arrived at Nantes on the 7th of December of that year,
and he received in that city the first of the many ovations that his
long presence in France was destined to inspire. He went to Paris, and
took up his residence at Passy, a village some two miles from the city,
on a high hill overlooking the city and th