ing his feelings as he passed and repassed the rope; saying that very few men, if any, could boast, as the Captain might, of being manacled by a Prince of the blood; it should be deemed an accession of honour to the Vaugirards.

Having exhausted his eloquence, and being ill-pleased with the Prince's jokes, the Captain became sullenly silent, darting looks of anger at Pierre, his treacherous servant, who was still employed in keeping Hubert silent at the point of the muzzle.

Vaugirard being thus very carefully bound, both hands and feet, by the Prince, his mouth gagged, and his head enveloped in the table-cloth, it was now Hubert's turn to undergo the same ceremony.

To make a distinction in favour of the Captain's rank, as Condé remarked, he ordered Limier, who had been studying the process, to operate on Hubert, whilst the prince held the ready-cocked pis. tol. The gardener having performed the business to Condé's satis faction, the two prisoners were then fastened to the legs of the mas sive table at opposite ends, scarcely a word passing between the confederates. They then left the apartment, and entering the gallery, fastened the door, and emerged on the terrace. The Prince was so eager to escape, that he did not even venture as far the bedchamber to reach his hat, or other apparel..

Jules looked pale as death when they approached, and shook as though from cold or the ague; but despite his tremor, he had not been idle, but pointed to the spot where he had contrived to insert his sword or side-arm, which stood in place of the bayonet of more modern times, between the stones of the paved terrace-walk. To this weapon was quickly fastened the silk cord provided by Pierre, and in which he made large knots at regular and close intervals. Throwing it across the embrasure, he looked over to ascertain the length, and was happy to find it hung almost touching the water.

"The depth?" said Condé.

"Follow Jean Limier exactly, and you may wade through," replied Pierre, making a gesture for the gardener to descend. Jules had taken care, in obedience to his kinsman's instructions, to fasten the sword on that angle of the bastion farthest from the bridge, and where, of course, they could not be seen in that direction whilst in the act of descending. Thus screened, Jean let himself into the fosse, and awaited under cover of the high walls, the descent of his companions. Condé, bareheaded, made the attempt next, and Pierre having some fear of Jules' courage, bade him follow the

Prince, being himself the last to drop into the muddy stagnant ditch.

So far all was well. They heard no cries or token of alarm; saw no witnesses of the exploit, and were much favoured by the projecting angle of the bastion or terrace, which hid them from view of the busiest and most frequented quarter of the château Jean was bidden by the Prince to make a sure but quick transit through the mud and water. Condé in following, spoke to Pierre, who was close at hand, saying he doubted not but that he and his confederates, who had exhibited already so much tact, had taken care of the two remaining obstacles; the ascent from the fosse, and a rapid exit when they were safely landed above.com

"Follow Jean, and show yourself on the glacis; it is all we have to do," replied Pierre.

Crossing in a diagonal direction, immersed sometimes only to the waist, then sinking into a hole up to the very throat, they arrived at the spot marked by the gardener. The sides were faced with stone, much worn, and marked with indentations and crevices, which afforded good hold for the hands and feet; but unfortunately these places were above reach where they stood, and for several feet higher was a smooth surface, on which there was nothing to gain a purchase. We are at fault here!" said Pierre.

"No!" said Condé, and bidding Jean rest with his face against the wall, he sprang on his shoulders, and placing his hands in the interstices and holes, which had been the gardener's night-labour, contrived to clamber up the sides, though with great difficulty; in one instance, the entire weight of his body being supported by one hand, or rather by the fingers, his feet having missed footing.

The upper portion was found much easier, it being more within reach of the gardener's tools and instruments, by which he had broken the facing of the moat, and the Prince was already on the top, when Jean directed his attention to a plant, beneath which was discovered a coil of rope fastened round the root, and hidden by the the branches. Condé threw the end to his friends, bidding them to be quick, for he heard a confused noise from the fortress, which boded no good.

Pierre told him to run towards the wood, and he would be met by the horsemen; but Condé shook his head, saying he should not desert his friends.

The noise was now audible to all, and one after the other, they

commenced scrambling up the rope, their knees and hands being much bruised against the stone-facing.

Up, up, my friends!" cried the Prince, "I see fusileers on the bastion !"

Jules was the first to place his knees on the surface; and the same moment a musket discharge was heard across the moat; his cap was knocked off by the shot, which grazed slightly the knee of the Prince.

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N'importe," cried Condé, "run and summon the horse."

As he successively assisted in lifting over the edge of the glacis, Pierre and Jean Limier, the shots began to fly quickly, and it was full time to beat a retreat; for although the spot where they ascended was a considerable distance from the bastion whence the musketry was discharged, they having traced under the pilotage of the gardener, a devious, diagonal course, through the ditch, yet it was to be feared their retreat would be cut off by troopers crossing the bridge, or heavy ordnance brought to bear from the batteries.

They ran nimbly across the ground, obstructed only by the plants and shrubs, which had been up to this period the care and pride of Jean, and heard the bullets whistling about and around their heads. The Prince was again struck, the bullet grazing his elbow, and tearing up the sleeve to the wrist; and Pierre felt the blood trickling down his neck from a slight wound in the ear.

They fire like German deer-hunters," said Condé ; "I must organise a corps of marksmen. But see our friends observe

And it was full time the horsemen were at hand, for just as the corps emerged from the forest, meeting first with Jules, who had a considerable start of his friends, the sturdy Jean Limier was stricken in the calf of the leg, and stumbling forward, fell powerless.

4

He was picked up by Condé and Pierre, who attempted to carry him, but the troopers dashing forward, he was hastily placed across the saddle in front of one of the men, who retreated with the wounded gardener under cover of the forest."

"Mount and away, Messieurs!" cried the Captain, striking impatiently his horse's neck with the flat of the sword. "Mount! for Chavigni has crossed the bridge."

Pierre thought he recognised the voice, but this was no time for conjecture, for casting his eyes towards the covered way, he saw that the advance-guard of the garrison had already gained the plain. With Condé and Jules in company, he hastily mounted, led horses

had been provided for their escape, and joining the troop, they dash. ed into the forest.

One more look Pierre ventured. A vivid flash burst from the walls, followed by a heavy lengthened sound, echoed and re-echoed through the forest, whilst the branches were cracking and splitting, riven by the discharge from the batteries.

It was a hurried retreat, for the force in pursuit was far superior in number to Conde's escort, and there was everything to lose and nothing to gain in conflict. They rested not till they had gained the lines of the faubourg St. Martin, where the Prince was in comparative safety, and where the troop halted. The men gathered round his royal highness, each congratulating him after his own fashion on escape from dreary confinement, and receiving the Prince's thanks for the rescue.

In the market-place of the faubourg, Condé called a council of war. In the hasty ride from Vincennes he had heard enough, he said, to convince him that their work was not yet finished-that there was more glory to be won. Even whilst the Prince was speaking, distant shots and discharges of musketry were heard; and the little band resolved itself into a body-guard of honour, determined to win renown under so renowned a leader..

Several scouts were dispatched in the direction of the firing; and in the meanwhile, the Prince was solicited by the inhabitants of the faubourg to retire into the city; but he declined, declaring that his friend Beaufort was doubtless in considerable peril, as he judged by the news already received, and which the messengers he had sent would soon report on. He recommended Jean Limier to their care, and shook hands with the wounded man, who only regretted that he could not accompany his royal highness to gather fresh laurels. Jules Martin was ordered by the Prince to attend his kinsman. He had remarked the terror of the poor fellow, whose cue lay not in fighting, albeit he had done good service, and to whom the prospect of more glory was anything but inviting. It was therefore with the view of sparing Jules' feelings, that he was commanded to nurse his kinsman, and so escape the horrors of the field without imputation on his courage.

Pierre, or as we shall now again call him, St. Maur, had recognised in the Captain of the troop, his friend Monsieur du Tremblay. The Governor in posse of the Bastille was certainly more easily recognizable than St. Maur, whose discoloured complexion, way-worn, blood-stained, and mean apparel, presented a tout ensemble, far dif

ferent, as du Tremblay said, from the trim moustached gallant erewhile Secretary of the palace. What would his fair young friend, Louise, say to such a vagrant?

St. Maur was utterly confused at the allusion, and could not help betraying his blushes even through the discolouration to which his face had been from time to time during his stay at Vincennes, subjected. Du Tremblay, who remarked his distress, exclaimed—

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Why! How is this? Surely the news never reached Vin

cennes !"

"What news," asked St. Maur quickly.

The son-in-law of de Broussel, leading his friend aside, said he would be frank with him. The family and himself, he continued, had noticed, what they believed in St. Maur a growing affection for Louise, and were not ill-pleased with the prospect of such an allianee, the more especially as the maiden seemed to reciprocate the tender feeling. His own opinion, du Tremblay said, of the depth of the Secretary's passion was considerably shaken by his abrupt departure from Paris without taking personal leave of his lady love; but the other members of the family judged that this only proceeded from a desire to spare her a recital of the dangers he was about to incur in the unknown and secret journey. Since his departure, however, a formal application had been made to the President for the lady's hand, by a young advocate of good family, and fair prospects in his profession. What added to their astonishment, the gentleman affirmed that the maiden was already highly prepossessed in his favour; and on being questioned, she confessed to the passion, and that they had had many interviews in the church of St. Paul and St. Louis, whilst standing behind the back of the staid Dame Josephine, who was more intent on spiritual matters than on watching the proceedings of her young charge.

St. Maur was both glad and surprised at this narration; and yet, if the truth must be told, a little mortified. The cold indifference of Louise was now accounted for, and in a way not palatable to the vanity of a young man.

Du Tremblay, who noticed the impression made, took St. Maur by the arm, and pretending to peer closely into his face, exclaimed, Pasques Dieu! Are the women then right after all? Were you really dying for the false fair one, who preferred perruque and robe to feathered cap and sword?”

"Believe me, du Tremblay," replied St. Maur, laughing, "if the lady have made a good choice I shall feel happy. But see, the