The Count de Damas alone, with a corporal and three dragoons, found means to leave the town, and galloped towards Varennes at some distance from the king, a too feeble or too tardy succour.

The royal family shut up in their berlin--and seeing that no opposition was offered to their journey, was unacquainted with these sinister occurrences.

It was half past eleven at night, when the carriages arrived at the first houses of the little town of Varennes; all were or appeared to be asleep; all was silent and deserted.

It will be remembered, that Varennes not being on the direct line from Chalons to Montmedy, the king would not find horses there.

It had been arranged between himself and M.de Bouille, that the horses of M.de Choiseul should be stationed beforehand in a spot agreed upon in Varennes, and should conduct the carriages to Dun and Stenay, where M.de Bouille awaited them.