more to look at my father’s study, where his easy chair, his table, and his papers, still remained in their old situation; I embraced each venerated mark, I took his cloak which till then I had ordered to be left upon his chair, and carried it away with me, that I might wrap myself in it, if the messenger of death approached me.  When these adieus were terminated, I avoided as much as I could any other leave-takings, which affected me too much, and wrote to the friends whom I quitted, taking care that my letters should not reach them until several days after my departure.

* Saepe mihi dubiam traxitisententia mentem,
  Curarent Superi terras, an nullus inesset
  Rector, et incerto fluerent mortalia casu.

Abstulit hunc tandem Rufini poena tumultum,
 Absolvitque Deos.  Jam non ad culmina rerum
 Injustos crevisse queror; tolluntur in altum
 Ut lapsu graviore raent.

The next day, Saturday the 23rd of May, 1812, at two o’clock in the afternoon, I got into my carriage, saying that I should return to dinner.  I took no packet whatever with me; I had my fan in my hand, and my daughter hers; only my son and Mr. Rocca carried in their pockets what was necessary for some days journey.  In descending the avenue of Coppet, in thus quitting that chateau which had become to me like an old and valued friend, I was ready to faint:  my son took my hand, and said, “My dear mother, think that you are setting out for England*.”  That word revived my spirits:  I was still, however, at nearly two thousand leagues distance from that goal, to which the usual road would have so speedily conducted me:  but every step brought me at least something nearer to it.  When I had proceeded a few leagues, I sent back one of my servants to apprize my establishment that I should not return until the next day, and I continued travelling night and day as far as a farmhouse beyond Berne, where I had fixed to meet Mr. Schlegel, who was so good as to offer to accompany me; there also I had to leave my eldest son, who had been educated, up to the age of fourteen, by the example of my father, whose features he reminds one of.  A second time all my courage abandoned me; that Switzerland, still so tranquil and always so beautiful, her inhabitants, who know how to be free by their virtues, even though they have lost their political independence:  the whole country detained me:  it seemed to tell me not to quit it.  It was still time to return:  I had not yet made an irreparable step.  Although the prefect had thought proper to interdict me from travelling in Switzerland, I saw clearly that it was only from the fear of my going beyond it.  Finally, I had not yet crossed the barrier which left me no possibility of returning; the imagination feels a difficulty in supporting this idea.  On the other hand, there was also something irreparable in the resolution of remaining; for after that moment, I felt, and the event has proved the feeling correct, that I could no longer