* “No fear of that, Madam—­I’ll take good care of myself:  a man does
     not fight for such beggarly rascals as these as he would for his
     King.”

M. de ____ is just returned from the camp of Maulde, where he has been to
see his son.   He says, there is great disorder and want of discipline,
and that by some means or other the common soldiers abound more in money,
and game higher, than their officers.   There are two young women,
inhabitants of the town of St. Amand, who go constantly out on all
skirmishing parties, exercise daily with the men, and have killed several
of the enemy.   They are both pretty—­one only sixteen, the other a year
or two older.   Mr. de ____ saw them as they were just returning from a
reconnoitring party.   Perhaps I ought to have been ashamed after this
recital to decline an invitation from Mr. de R___’s son to dine with him
at the camp; but I cannot but feel that I am an extreme coward, and that
I should eat with no appetite in sight of an Austrian army.   The very
idea of these modern Camillas terrifies me—­their creation seems an error
of nature.*

* Their name was Fernig; they were natives of St. Amand, and of no remarkable origin.  They followed Dumouriez into Flanders, where they signalized themselves greatly, and became Aides-de-Camp to that General.  At the time of his defection, one of them was shot by a soldier, whose regiment she was endeavouring to gain over.  Their house having been razed by the Austrians at the beginning of the war, was rebuilt at the expence of the nation; but, upon their participation in Dumouriez’ treachery, a second decree of the Assembly again levelled it with the ground.

Our host, whose politeness is indefatigable, accompanied us a few days ago to St. Eloy, a large and magnificent abbey, about six miles from Arras.  It is built on a terrace, which commands the surrounding country as far as Douay; and I think I counted an hundred and fifty steps from the house to the bottom of the garden, which is on a level with the road.  The cloisters are paved with marble, and the church neat and beautiful beyond description.  The iron work of the choir imitates flowers and foliage with so much taste and delicacy, that (but for the colour) one would rather suppose it to be soil, than any durable material.—­The monks still remain, and although the decree has passed for their suppression, they cannot suppose it will take place.  They are mostly old men, and, though I am no friend to these institutions, they were so polite and hospitable that I could not help wishing they were permitted, according to the design of the first Assembly, to die in their habitations—­ especially as the situation of St. Eloy renders the building useless for any other purpose.--A friend of Mr. de ____ has a charming country-house near the abbey, which he has been obliged to deny himself the enjoyment of, during the greatest part of the summer; for whenever the family return to Arras, their persons and their carriage are searched at the gate, as strictly as though they were smugglers just arrived from the coast, under the pretence that they may assist the religious of St. Eloy in securing some of their property, previous to the final seizure.