so deeply impressed with the rashness and danger of his Grace’s diplomacy that he made no attempt to conceal the alarm he felt.  This open disapproval so offended the Duke and his friend, the Prince-Elector, that the latter received Calvert’s proposals with the utmost coldness, and would make no promise to receive the royal fugitives in case it became necessary.  Perhaps, too, he was weary of royal guests.  Seeing that nothing was to be got from the Elector, Calvert hurried on to Worms through that beautiful Rhine country which he had once traversed so leisurely and delightfully with Mr. Morris.

There he found Monsieur le Prince de Conde, with whom he had a long audience.  This great leader of the emigrant forces, being apprised of Calvert’s embassy, approved heartily of that scheme which would make the King openly join issue with his nobles, and sent the young man on with all speed to Kehl with secret letters for Monsieur de Viomenil.  This General, under Monsieur de Conde’s orders, was stationed with trusty troops from Luckner’s command at the little town of Kehl, opposite Strasburg, and was deep in secret negotiations with officers of the garrison for the capitulation of that city and the entry of the emigrant army.  These intrigues had been going on for some time, and so crafty were Viomenil’s plans (he was the greatest diplomat the emigres could boast), and so successful was Monsieur de Thessonnet, aide-de-camp to the Prince de Conde, in carrying them out, that when Calvert arrived at head-quarters the possession of Strasburg by the emigrant forces seemed to be a question of only a few days.  ’Twas in this belief that Monsieur de Conde had despatched Calvert to Monsieur de Viomenil, who joined in the enterprise with the utmost enthusiasm and confidence.  So assured was he of the success of his own undertaking that he spoke of it almost as if ’twere already an accomplished triumph, even going to the length of showing the young man the method of attack and occupation traced upon the plan of the city; at this street a regiment was to be stationed; at that gate a body of cavalry was to enter—­as though he were master of fate and naught could interfere with his plans.  So confident was Viomenil, and so impregnable a defence did Strasburg seem to offer for the King should misfortune overtake him, that Calvert set out on his journey back to Maubeuge the following day buoyed up with the belief that should the army refuse its allegiance and support the King would find, at any rate, a safe asylum at Strasburg.  But already Brunswick’s ill-advised manifesto was at work overthrowing these well-laid plans, which were to come to nothing, as were his own, unhappily, though for a different reason.

At Maubeuge, where he arrived on the 1st of August, gloomy forebodings in regard to the disastrous effects of his Grace of Brunswick’s manifesto were fully shared by Lafayette and those officers committed to the conspiracy.  Indeed, Lafayette was in the greatest anxiety and dismay.