So in fact it proved.  A certain Guetem, a fiddler of the Elector of Bavaria, had entered the service of Holland, had taken part in her war against France, and had become a colonel.  Chatting one evening with his comrades, he laid a wager that he would carry off some one of mark between Paris and Versailles.  He obtained a passport, and thirty chosen men, nearly all of whom were officers.  They passed the rivers disguised as traders, by which means they were enabled to post their relays [of horses].  Several of them had remained seven or eight days at Sevres, Saint Cloud, and Boulogne, from which they had the hardihood to go to Versailles and see the King sup.  One of these was caught on the day after the disappearance of Beringhen, and when interrogated by Chamillart, replied with a tolerable amount of impudence.  Another was caught in the forest of Chantilly by one of the servants of M. le Prince.  From him it became known that relays of horses and a post-chaise had been provided at Morliere for the prisoner when he should arrive there, and that he had already passed the Oise.

As I have said, couriers were despatched to the governors of the frontiers; in addition to this, information of what had taken place was sent to all the intendants of the frontier, to all the troops in quarters there.  Several of the King’s guards, too, and the grooms of the stable, went in pursuit of the captors of Beringhen.  Notwithstanding the diligence used, the horsemen had traversed the Somme and had gone four leagues beyond Ham-Beringhen, guarded by the officers, and pledged to offer no resistance—­when the party was stopped by a quartermaster and two detachments of the Livry regiment.  Beringhen was at once set at liberty.  Guetem and his companion were made prisoners.

The grand fault they had committed was to allow the King’s carriage and the footmen to go back to Versailles so soon after the abduction.  Had they led away the coach under cover of the night, and so kept the King in ignorance of their doings until the next day, they would have had more time for their retreat.  Instead of doing this they fatigued themselves by too much haste.  They had grown tired of waiting for a carriage that seemed likely to contain somebody of mark.  The Chancellor had passed, but in broad daylight, and they were afraid in consequence to stop him.  M. le Duc d’Orleans had passed, but in a post-chaise, which they mistrusted.  At last Beringhen appeared in one of the King’s coaches, attended by servants in the King’s livery, and wearing his cordon Neu, as was his custom.  They thought they had found a prize indeed.  They soon learnt with whom they had to deal, and told him also who they were.  Guetem bestowed upon Beringhen all kinds of attention, and testified a great desire to spare him as much as possible all fatigue.  He pushed his attentions so far that they caused his failure.  He allowed Beringhen to stop and rest on two occasions.  The party missed one of their relays, and that delayed them very much.