The victory won by the Vendeans was one of the most important of
the war. Never had they fought with greater bravery. Never did they
carry out more accurately and promptly the orders of their
generals. Napoleon afterwards pronounced that the tactics pursued
by la Rochejaquelein showed that he possessed the highest military
genius.
It was night, alone, that saved the routed army of the Republic
from absolute destruction. It is probable that, at the time, the
Vendean general had no idea of the completeness of the victory that
he had won, or of the disorganization of the enemy. Had he known
it, he would doubtless have attacked them again on the following
day; when he would have experienced no resistance, could have
captured Angers without firing a shot, and could, had he chosen,
have recrossed the Loire. The Vendeans, however, well content with
their success, returned to Laval, and there enjoyed a week's quiet
and repose.
The crushing defeat that the Republicans had experienced caused an
immense sensation at Paris, and in the towns through which the
Vendeans would pass on their way to the capital, which was at the
time actually open to them.
Patsey was delighted, when Jean and Leigh returned unwounded.
"You both seem to bear a charmed life," she said. "Leigh has indeed
once been hit, but it was not serious; you have escaped altogether.
What is going to be done next?"
"We are going to rest here for ten days or so. There is plenty of
food to be had, and the rest will do wonders for the men. Of
course, we rode back with la Rochejaquelein. His opinion was, as it
always has been, that a march on Paris will alone bring this
terrible business to a close; but he knows that even his authority
will not suffice to carry out such a plan. As long as they are in
Brittany they are among friends, and are still near their homes;
but to turn their backs on these, and march on Paris, would appear
so terrible an undertaking that, reckless as they are of their
lives in battle, nothing would induce them to attempt it."
After ten days' delay, the Vendeans commenced their march towards
the coast. The battle at Vihiers was fought on the twenty-seventh.
By the sixth of November they had captured the towns of Ernee and
de Fougeres, defeating at the latter place three battalions. Dol
was next captured. Mayenne opened its gates without resistance.
The greatest efforts were made, by the Republicans, to place the
seaports in a state of defence. Cherbourg would have been the best
point for the fugitives to attack, as here they would have found an
abundance of powder, of which they were in great need, and cannon;
and here they might have defended themselves until the promised
help arrived from England. Granville, however, had been fixed upon
by the British government; and the march thither was shorter,
therefore it was against Granville that the attack was directed.
A considerable portion of the force, with the artillery, were left
at Avranches. Although assured that the march to the sea was made
in order to obtain succour there from England, there was much fear
among the peasants that the intention of the chiefs was to embark,
and to leave the army to its fate. Consequently they advanced
against Granville with less energy and enthusiasm than usual.
However, half a league out of the town they came upon a portion of
the garrison, and repulsed them so successfully that they entered
one of the suburbs with them. The garrison had, for the most part,
shut themselves up in a fort which commanded the town; having
erected a strong palisade across the streets leading to it. Four
hundred men occupied this post.
The Vendeans had no axes to cut down the palisades, nor powder to
blow then in. They were therefore obliged to content themselves
with a musketry fire against it. As the garrison were well supplied
with ammunition, and kept up a constant fire, they suffered
heavily.
When night came, the Vendeans scattered among the houses to find
food, fire, and shelter; and all night the batteries on the heights
played upon them.
In the morning the Republicans redoubled their fire. It became
evident that the town itself could not be taken, and the mass of
the Vendeans, without orders from their chiefs, began to retire,
and in a short time the whole were in rapid retreat to Avranches.
There the cry was raised, "Back to La Vendee!"
La Rochejaquelein, after halting his force on the main road a few
hours, called upon the men to follow him to Caen; but only one
thousand did so. On arriving at a village he learned that the bulk
of the army, instead of being behind him, had marched towards
Pontorson. He was therefore forced to retrace his steps and to
follow them and, on overtaking them, found that they had already
carried the bridge, driven away the enemy, and occupied the town.
The enemy were closing round them, but the capture of Pontorson
deranged the plans of the Republicans. The place had been held by
four thousand men and ten pieces of cannon and, as it could be
approached only by a narrow defile, it was believed that it would
be impossible for the Vendeans to force their way into it. However,
after three hours' fighting, their desperate valour won the day,
and the Republicans were routed, with the loss of most of their
cannon.
The affair, indeed, appeared to the peasants to be a miracle
granted in their favour; and with renewed heart they marched the
next night to Dol. Kleber was with a large force in this
neighbourhood, but the impetuosity of Westermann again upset his
plans. As soon as the latter heard that Pontorson had been carried
by the Vendeans, and that they had marched to Dol, he pursued them
with three thousand infantry, two hundred cavalry, and four cannon.
He arrived within a short distance of Dol at six in the evening
and, without waiting for the infantry to come up, charged into the
town, and for a moment spread confusion among the Vendeans.
[Illustration: Westermann's cavalry charged into the streets of Dol.]
They, however, soon recovered from their surprise, and drove the
enemy out with loss. Westermann's infantry took no part in the
action. Kleber was occupied in closing every route by which the
Vendeans could leave Dol; but Westermann, who had held no
communication with him, and knew nothing of his plans, marched with
Marigny's division, with six thousand men, to attack the town.
This he did at two o'clock in the morning. The Vendeans at once
rushed to meet them, and first tried to turn the right; but they
failed here, and also in an attack on the left. They fought,
however, so fiercely that Westermann withdrew his troops to the
position that they had occupied before attacking. The Vendeans,
however, gave them no time to form in order of battle but,
heralding their charge with a heavy musketry fire, rushed down upon
them. The enemy at once broke and, leaving their cannon behind
them, continued their flight till they reached Pontorson.
In the meantime Marceau was advancing with his division by another
road; and the Vendeans, hearing this, ceased their pursuit of
Westermann's routed division and moved against him and, at four
o'clock in the morning, attacked him when within a league of Dol. A
combat ensued that lasted for three hours. The Vendeans then drew
off, on learning that the division of Muller was on the point of
joining that of Marceau.
Together these divisions could have forced their way into Dol, but
Muller was hopelessly drunk and, being the senior officer, the
greatest confusion arose and, had the Vendeans known what was
taking place, they could have gained a decisive victory.
Marceau, seeing that he could do nothing to restore order, rode at
full speed to Kleber's headquarters; and at daybreak the two
generals arrived at the spot, and found the two divisions mingled
in supreme disorder, the brigades and battalions being mixed up
together. Finding that nothing could be done with them, there,
Kleber drew them off; their confusion being almost converted into a
rout, by the fire of about a hundred Vendeans. A council of war was
held, and eighteen hundred men, with two guns, were sent to
Pontorson to join Westermann's defeated division.
That general was ordered to advance again, at once, upon Dol.
Kleber opposed this, and the rest of the council coming at last to
his opinion, orders were sent to Westermann to remain on the
defensive, and await fresh orders. Westermann, however, as usual,
disregarded these and, marching through the night, approached the
town and arrived, early in the morning, at a village close to it.
The sounding of the church bells told that the Vendeans had
discovered the enemy, and in a few minutes these were seen rushing,
as usual, to the attack. In spite of the reinforcements that had
reached them, Westermann's troops fought worse than they had done
two nights before. The reinforcements were the first to give way.
The advanced guard speedily turned and fled. Westermann and
Marigny, with a small party of cavalry, fought desperately to cover
the retreat. Marigny however fell, and the whole force became a
mass of fugitives.
Kleber, on his way the next day to reconnoitre the town, met the
Vendeans advancing. Scattering rapidly, these occupied the ridges,
and attacked the brigade that formed his advanced guard so fiercely
that it broke and fled. Kleber sent to fetch some battalions of the
troops of Mayence and, as soon as they arrived, with some
battalions of grenadiers, formed them in order of battle. Other
troops came up, and they prepared for a serious engagement.
At this moment the Vendean column that had defeated Westermann
showed itself, on the right flank of the Republicans, and
threatened their rear. Kleber ordered some of the battalions to
take post further back, to cover the line of retreat. Other
battalions, seeing the movement, and believing this to be a signal
for retreat, followed.
The grenadiers alone stood firm, and defended themselves for three
hours. In the meantime the greater portion of the Republican army
was already in full flight, and a retreat was ordered. The troops
remaining on the field retired at first in good order but, as the
victorious Vendeans pressed on, this speedily became a rout.
Marceau, gathering together such soldiers as still retained their
presence of mind, endeavoured to defend the bridge of Antrain; but
the Vendeans, pressing forward, swept them away; and the fugitives
fled, in a confused mob, as far as Rennes.
The Vendeans, on entering Antrain, at once scattered in search of
food; disregarding the orders and entreaties of la Rochejaquelein
and Stofflet, who urged them to press hotly upon the routed enemy,
and so to complete the victory they had won. At Antrain they
learned that the wounded, who had been left in hospital at
Fougeres, had been murdered in their beds by the Blues; and they
accordingly shot all the prisoners they had taken in the battle.
The victory seemed to open the way to the Loire, and the Vendeans
steadily marched south through Mayenne and Laval, and arrived in
front of Angers. But the city was no longer in the defenceless
state in which it was when they first crossed the Loire. As soon as
it was perceived to be the point for which the Vendeans were
marching, four thousand troops were thrown into it, and all
preparations made for a stout defence.
"If they defend themselves as they ought to do," la Rochejaquelein
said to two or three of his officers, among whom was Jean Martin,
"there is no hope of taking the town. We have neither cannon to
blow down the walls, nor means of scaling them. Thirty-six hours is
the utmost we can hope for our operations. Kleber and the rest of
them will be up by that time. However--it is our sole hope--possibly
a panic may seize them when we attack; but even cowards will fight
behind walls and, after our failure at Granville, I have little hope
of our taking Angers, especially as they must know how soon their
army will be up."
The affair was a repetition of that at Granville. The Vendeans at
once obtained possession of one of the suburbs. Twenty pieces of
cannon opened fire upon it from the walls, while from the houses
the Vendeans replied with a musketry fire. During the night a
number of men laboured to undermine the wall by one of the gates,
and partially succeeded. But day broke before the work was
completed, and the defenders planted several cannon to bear upon
them.
The Vendeans were too much discouraged to make any further effort;
and when, a few hours later, news came that the Republican army was
fast approaching, and would reach the ground in an hour's time,
they again got into motion, and pursued their hopeless journey in
search of some point where they could cross the river, if only to
die in their beloved land.
On the following day Kleber was reinforced by a column, eight
thousand strong, from Cherbourg; and a reconnaissance was made
along the road by which the Vendeans had retreated. They found
everywhere the bodies of men, women, and children who had succumbed
to cold, fatigue, and misery. Westermann's cavalry set out in
pursuit, Muller following with his division to support him.
Marceau was now appointed commander-in-chief, pending the arrival
of Turreau and Rossignol. The latter had, almost from the
commencement of the war, intrigued against every general concerned
in the operations, especially against Kleber. He was himself
utterly without military talent, and owed his position simply to
his devotion to the Convention, and his readiness to denounce the
men who failed to satisfy its anticipations of an easy victory, or
who showed the slightest repugnance to execute its barbarous
decrees.
With the exception of some three thousand men, who marched at the
head of the Vendean column, the fugitives were now utterly
disheartened. Many hid their muskets and, cutting sticks, thought
that, being no longer armed, they would not be molested by the
enemy. Each night numbers stole away, in groups of twos and threes,
in the hope of finding a boat on the bank of the river. Others
scattered among the villages, their appearance exciting compassion;
but fear of the troops was more powerful, and the men for the most
part were seized and held prisoners.
Of the hundred thousand men, women, and children who had crossed
the Loire, more than half were dead. Of those who remained, fully
fifteen thousand were women and children.
On the march, Leigh always rode by the side of his sister,
generally carrying the child before him. Jean, as one of the
leading officers, now rode with Rochejaquelein at the head of the
column. Patsey suffered less, on her own account, than on that of
the poor people who had to journey on foot. The cold was intense
and, except when they entered a town, it was impossible to obtain
provisions. The horses were worn out and half famished, a great
proportion of the fugitives were without shoes, and the clothing of
all was in rags.
In order to spare her the sight of the misery prevailing among
those who marched in the rear of the column, Leigh always rode with
his sister in the rear of the leading division. He himself, for the
most part, walked on foot; lending his horse to some wounded man,
or exhausted woman.
When the column left Angers it had been intended to march to Saumur
and cross there, but the news arrived that a strong Republican
force had gathered there; and it was determined to change the
course, and to march through La Fleche to Le Mans. By this sudden
and unexpected movement, Rochejaquelein hoped to gain time to give
his followers two days' rest.
The immediate result, however, was to excite a feeling of despair
among a great portion of them. Their backs were now turned to La
Vendee, and it seemed to them that their last hope of reaching
their homes had vanished. Rochejaquelein's idea, however, was that
in their present state of exhaustion it was impossible to hope to
cross the Loire--guarded as it was at every point, and with over
one hundred thousand men between him and La Vendee--and he
intended, after giving them the much needed rest, to march round
through Chateaudun, to come down on the Loire above Orleans, and so
to make his way back into Poitou.
Had he had with him only men, the project, difficult as it seemed,
might possibly have been accomplished. Unembarrassed by baggage
trains or cannon, the peasants could have out marched their
pursuers; but hampered by the crowd of wounded, sick, women, and
children, the movement must be regarded as the inspiration of
despair.
Indeed, even the fighting men were no longer in a state to bear the
fatigue. Bad and insufficient food had played havoc with them.
Dysentery was raging in their ranks, and many could scarce drag
themselves along.
"We cannot conceal from ourselves that it is nearly over," Jean
said, when he told his wife and Leigh that the route was changed.
"We shall get to Le Mans, but the Republicans will be on our heels,
and one cannot doubt what the issue will be. Doubtless a small body
will hang together, and still try to regain La Vendee; but we shall
have done our duty. After our next defeat I will leave the army.
"I shall not go without telling la Rochejaquelein of my intentions.
He has more than once spoken to me of you both, and it was but two
days ago that he said to me:
"'Martin, you are not like the rest of us. You have an English
wife, and your brave young brother-in-law is English, also. You
have to think of them, as well as of La Vendee. You can make your
home in England, and live there until better times come.
"'It is no longer a question of defending our country. It is lost.
Charette is there now, and still fighting; but as soon as we are
disposed of, all these troops that have been hunting us down will
be free to act against him, and he too must be crushed. The
peasants have nowhere else to go; and it is not with a desire to
defend their homes--which no longer exist--but to die in their
native land that they seek to return. You have from the first done
your utmost for La Vendee, but there can be no occasion that you
should throw away your life, and those of your wife and brother,
now that the cause is utterly lost, and all hope is at an end.
"'Think this over. I do not say that it is possible for you to
escape; but the longer you stay with us, the more difficult will it
become.'
"So you see, I am sure that when I tell him that, feeling that we
can no longer be of use, I am determined to make at least an
endeavour to reach England with you, he will approve."
"I think he is right, Jean. No one can say that you have not done
your duty to your country to the utmost, or can blame you for now
doing what you can for your family."
Just as they neared La Fleche, a squadron of the enemy's cavalry
fell upon the rear of the column. They killed many of the
fugitives, but were too small in number to threaten the safety of
the column, which kept on until it reached the bridge across the
Loir. This had been broken down, but fire was opened against the
cannon planted on the other side. The gunboats that were guarding
the river were driven away; and a party, moving up the bank, found
two little boats, and began to cross.
A detachment of Republicans hurried to attack them; but the Loir,
an affluent of the Loire, was narrow, and the musketry fire of the
main body drove them away, until two or three hundred men had
crossed. La Rochejaquelein went over and took the command, and on
their advance the Republicans took to their heels. Rochejaquelein
then recrossed, and drove off the cavalry that were harrassing the
rear.
Working desperately, a strong party threw beams across the broken
bridge, and the Vendeans occupied the town at daybreak. The weary
fugitives slept till midday, when the enemy's cavalry reappeared;
but Rochejaquelein with some mounted gentlemen attacked and
defeated them, and pursued them for some distance.
In the evening a force under Chalbos approached the town, but the
Vendeans sallied out and speedily scattered them. They then broke
down the bridge that they had repaired, and started for Le Mans;
which they captured after three-quarters of an hour's fighting.
Two days later, Kleber was in front of the town. Westermann and
Muller's divisions first approached. The two days' rest had
reanimated the Vendeans, and Muller's infantry were driven back
three miles; but large reinforcements came up, and the peasants
were forced to fall back again. Then Westermann's cavalry charged
into the town, carrying dismay among its defenders; but la
Rochejaquelein and his officers soon reanimated them, and the
cavalry were driven out of the town, itself. They and the infantry
that had come up were able, however, to maintain themselves in the
suburbs.
By this time la Rochejaquelein was aware that the armies of Brest,
Cherbourg, and the west were all upon him. All through the night
the battle went on, without interruption. The Republican columns
could gain no ground, and were frequently obliged to give way; but
behind the Vendean line of defence, panic was gaining ground among
the fugitives. Three or four thousand escaped by the road to Laval,
but the retreat of the rest was cut off by the cavalry.
In the morning, Kleber's division came up. They at once relieved
Marceau's division, which had been fighting all night, and renewed
the attack. The resistance was feeble. A few hundred men disputed
every foot of the way, and died with a consciousness that they had
at least covered the retreat of the rest.
A hot pursuit was at once organised and, while all taken in the
town were massacred at once, Westermann's cavalry pursued the
fugitives in all directions, covering the plain with corpses, and
pressing hard on the rear of the force that still held together.
Jean Martin had, the day before the Republican attack, gone with
Leigh to la Rochejaquelein's quarters; and told him that he
intended, if the town was captured by the enemy, to endeavour to
save the life of his wife by flight.
"You are quite right," Rochejaquelein said warmly. "I entirely
approve of your determination. As long as ten of my men hold
together, it is my duty to remain with them; for I have accepted
the position of their commander, and I must share their fate to the
end. But it is different with you. As the cause of La Vendee, for
which you have fought, is lost, your first duty now is to your
wife. I trust that you will all three succeed in making your way to
England, and enjoy there the peace and rest that none can have in
unhappy France. I thank you for your gallant services.
"And I thank you in the name of La Vendee, Leigh, for the manner in
which you have fought for her; and also for the companionship that
has so often cheered me, during our last days.
"As for myself, I have no wish to live. I should feel dishonoured
were the army I led to be exterminated, and I, who accepted the
responsibility of leading it, to survive. We have the consolation,
at least, that never in history has a people fought more bravely
against overpowering odds than La Vendee has done; and though at
present we are called brigands, I am sure that the world will
acknowledge that we have fought like heroes, for our country and
our faith. Unfortunate as we may be, I am proud to be one of those
who have led them so often to victory.
"When will you go, my friend?"
"I intend to be with you to the last," Jean said. "When the fight
begins, Leigh and my wife will be ready, at a point agreed on in
the rear of the town. When all is lost, I shall join them there. We
shall ride until beyond pursuit, and then put on our disguises."
"Then I will not say goodbye to you now," Rochejaquelein said.
"Goodbye, Leigh. May Heaven keep you, and take you safely home
again."
Leigh was too much affected to speak and, after a silent grasp of
the hand of the gallant young soldier, he returned with Jean to the
quarters they occupied.
"Now for our plans," Jean said. "They are as vague as ever, but we
must settle now. It is quite evident that the alarm is so widely
spread, here in the west, that it will be well-nigh impossible to
pass through even a village without being questioned. Alencon on
the north has a strong garrison, at Mayenne on the west is a
division, and the whole country beyond will be alive with troops on
the search for fugitives. It is only to the east that the road is
open to us.
"I should say that the safest way will be to travel so as to cross
the Loir between Chateaudun and Nogent, and then come down on the
road running south from Fontainebleau through Montargis. Travelling
south through Nevers, we should excite no suspicion. If questioned,
we can say that we are going to visit some friends at Macon. The
unfortunate thing is that we have no papers; and I think that our
story had best be that we belong to Le Mans, and fled in such
haste, when the town was captured by the Vendeans, that we escaped
just as we stood, and omitted to bring our papers with us.
"Fortunately we all speak French without accent, and there is
nothing about us to give rise to suspicion that we belong to La
Vendee. If we can think of a more likely story, as we go along, all
the better. When we get as far as Macon, if we ever get there, we
can decide whether to endeavour to cross the frontier into
Switzerland, or to go down to Toulon.
"Now remember, Patsey, my last injunctions are that, when you
perceive from the rush of fugitives that all is over, and that any
firing that may still be going on is but an attempt to cover the
retreat, you must not wait for me but, as soon as the sound of
combat approaches, you will ride off with Leigh. You need not
suppose, because I do not join you, that I am killed. The enemy may
have pushed so far through the town that I may find it impossible
to join you. But from whatever cause I tarry, you are not to wait
for me.
"If I am shot, it will be a consolation to me to know that you will
be away under your brother's protection. If I escape, I shall, if I
make my way to England, have the hope of meeting you there; and
shall not be haunted with the fear that you have delayed too long,
and have sacrificed your lives uselessly. I want you and him to
give me your solemn promise that you will act thus, and will, as
soon as he considers that further delay will be dangerous, ride
off. Remember that this is my last wish, this is my last order."
"I will do as you wish, Jean," his wife said firmly. "God has
preserved us three thus far, and I trust that He will continue to
do so. I shall have the less hesitation because I think that,
alone, you will have perhaps a better chance of escaping than with
us. At any rate, we will carry out your instructions. But should we
miss each other, is there no place where we can arrange to meet?"
"I do not see that it is possible to make any arrangements, Patsey.
You may be turned out of your course, by circumstances which it is
impossible to foresee; and the same may be the case with myself.
Suppose we named a seaport, there would in the first place be
difficulty in finding each other. You might see some opportunity of
getting across the water and, if you lost that, the chance might
not occur again; and the delay might cost you your lives. I trust
that we shall not be separated, dear, but I see clearly that if
such a misfortune should happen, it were best that we should each
make our own way, in the hope of meeting at Poole.
"You may be sure that I shall join you, if possible; for I see
that, if separated, your difficulties will be far greater than
mine. You, too, would have the burden of the child. But let us
suppose that I was wounded, but got away and managed to obtain
shelter in some Breton cottage. You might be waiting for me, for
weeks, at an agreed point. Now, while travelling, you might escape
many questions; but were you to stop even for a few days at any
town or village, you may be sure that you would be questioned so
closely, by the authorities, that there would be little chance of
your getting on. I should know that, and should be fretting my
heart out."
"Yes, I see 'tis best that we should do as you say, Jean. God
forbid that we should be separated, but if you do not come to the
rendezvous, I promise you that we will, as you wish, go on by
ourselves."
"And now, dear, we will divide our money. We have still three
hundred louis left. I will take one hundred, and you shall take the
rest. You are much more likely to want money, if we are separated,
than I.
"You had best sew the greater part up in your saddle, Leigh."
"I think we had better divide it as much as possible, Jean. We can
put seventy-five louis in each of our saddles, and the weight would
not be so great that anyone who happens to handle one of them would
notice it. I can put another five-and-forty in the belt round my
waist, and keep the odd five in my pocket for expenses. Of course,
if we decide to abandon our horses, I will make some other
arrangement."
"The best plan, Leigh, will be for us to change the louis for
assignats at the first opportunity. Gold is so scarce that each
time you offered to pay with it, it would excite suspicion. I have
no doubt that I can buy assignats here. We have taken a quantity
from the enemy, and la Rochejaquelein will, I am sure, be glad to
obtain some gold for them. It will be a double advantage: we shall
have less weight to carry, and shall be able to pay our way without
the gold exciting suspicion. The assignats now are only a quarter
of their face value, so that for two hundred louis I should get
eight hundred louis in assignats, of which I would take two
hundred, and you could take the rest."
"That would certainly be an excellent plan, Jean, for two hundred
louis in gold would be a serious weight to carry and, if found on
us, would in itself be sufficient to condemn us as intending
emigres."
Jean at once took two hundred louis, which had hitherto been
carried in their wallets, and went out. He returned in an hour.
"That is satisfactorily settled," he said. "Blacquard, who is in
charge of the treasury, was delighted to obtain some gold, and has
given us five times the amount in assignats. Of this I will take
two hundred and fifty louis' worth. You will have seven hundred and
fifty louis in assignats, and we will divide the hundred louis in
gold. Of the latter, you had best sew up twenty in each of your
saddles, and you can carry ten about you. People are so anxious for
gold that, in case of need, you can get services rendered for it
that you would fail to obtain for any amount of paper."
The greater portion of the assignats and the gold, as agreed, was
sewn up in the saddles; some provisions packed in the valises; and
Jean and Leigh went out together, and fixed upon a spot where they
were to wait. The preparations were all finished, when firing broke
out. Jean kissed his wife.
"May God's blessing keep you," he said. "I trust that we shall meet
again, when the fighting is over."
Then he kissed his child, wrung Leigh by the hand, and rode off to
join the general. The women, children, and the men who had thrown
away their arms, the sick and wounded, were already leaving the
town.
"Marthe, you must go now," Patsey said to the faithful nurse.
They had bought a horse for her from a peasant who had captured it,
a riderless animal that belonged to one of Westermann troopers.
"Here are fifty louis in assignats. I wish that you could have gone
with us, but that is not possible. Francois is waiting outside, and
will take care of you, as we have agreed. The best possible plan
will be to separate yourselves from the others as soon as possible.
The Blues are sure to be keeping close to them. Ride straight for
the river by by-lanes and, if you cannot obtain a boat, swim your
horse across, and then make for home. If we get safely to England,
we will write to you, as soon as these troubles are over, and you
can join us there."
"God bless you, madame. It breaks my heart to part with you and the
child, but I see that it is for the best."
Leigh fetched the horse round, and assisted her to mount behind
Francois. The two women, both weeping, were still exchanging adieus
when Leigh said to Francois:
"Ride on; the sooner this is over, the better for both."
The man nodded.
"God bless you, young master! I will look after Marthe. As soon as
we get away from the rest, I shall get off and run by her side. The
horse would never carry two of us far."
So saying, he touched the horse with his heel, and they rode off.