He was only astonished that these succours should delay their appearance so long.

Hour after hour chimed, the night wore away, and yet they came not.
XIV.
The officer who commanded the squadron of hussars stationed at Varennes by M.de Bouille was not entirely acquainted with the plan of action, or its nature; he had merely been told that a large sum in gold would pass through, and that it would be his duty to escort it.

No courier preceded the king's carriage, no messenger had arrived from Sainte Menehould to warn him to assemble his troopers; MM.

de Choiseul and de Guoguelas, who were to be at Varennes before the king's arrival, and communicate to this officer the last secret orders relative to his duty, were not there; thus the officer was left with nothing but his own conjectures to guide him.

Two other officers, who were informed by M.de Bouille of the real facts, had been sent by the general to Varennes, but they remained in the lower town at the same inn where the horses of M.de Choiseul had been stationed; they were totally ignorant of all that was passing in the upper town; they awaited, in compliance with their orders, the arrival of M.de Choiseul, and were only aroused by the sound of the alarm-bell.
M.de Choiseul and M.de Guoguelas, with count Charles de Damas, and his three faithful dragoons, galloped towards Varennes, having with the greatest difficulty escaped the insurrection of the squadrons at Clermont.