be lost.  I readily perceived that all the elegance required in a merchant’s counting-house would not be expected here, and accordingly dispensed with many little formalities.  I wrote upon the first paper that came to hand, and my bills were the most miserable scraps that ever were seen.  The amount was immediately paid.  Finding that the maitre d’hotel had not the least notion that it would be but reasonable to make some remuneration to the servants, who had been so assiduous in their attendance, I was uncivil enough to remind him of it.  He then desired me to give him a receipt for 200 francs, which I immediately divided among the domestics; though he remarked that I ought to give each but three or four, at most.  I also made out a distinct account for the forage, but this was not paid.

At length arrived the long wished-for sauvegarde.  It consisted of three gens d’armes d’elite, who had a written order from the baron de Lennep, ecuyer to the emperor, by virtue of which they were to defend my house and property from all depredations.  I immediately took a copy of this important protection, and nailed it upon the door.  The house was gradually evacuated; I was soon left alone with my guards, and sincerely rejoiced that Heaven had sent me such honest fellows.  It was impossible, indeed, to be quite easy; the thunders of the cannon rolled more and more awfully, and I had frequent visits from soldiers.  My brave gens d’armes, however, drove them all away, and I never applied in vain when I besought them to assist a neighbour in distress.  I shewed my gratitude as far as lay in my power, and at least took care that they wanted for nothing.

One of these three men went into the city, and returned in haste, bringing the news of a great victory. “Vive l’empereur!” cried he; “la bataille est gagnee.” When I inquired the particulars, he related, in the most confident manner, that an Austrian prince had been taken, with 30,000 men, and that they were already singing Te Deum in the city.  This story seemed extremely improbable to me, as the cannonade was at that moment rather approaching than receding from us.  I expressed my doubts of the fact, and told him that the battle could not possibly be yet decided.  The man, however, would not give up the point, but insisted that the intelligence was official.  When I asked him if he had seen the captive prince and the 30,000 Austrians, as they must certainly have been brought into the city, he frankly replied that he had not.  Several persons from the town had seen no more of them than he, so that I could give a shrewd guess what degree of credit was due to the story.