Page:Englishmen in the French Revolution.djvu/335

Rh The hussars who conducted us did not for some time know where we were to be taken; they were strangers to the country, having themselves been sent for from some distance for the purpose of convoying prisoners from Cambray. They received orders every night where they were to proceed the following day. At last we found our appointed place of captivity was Compiègne, where, being distanced from every friend, we might from want of ability to act lose every means of recovering our property, which was then very considerable.

The first night we were lodged in a ruinous place called Bassone (Bapaume?); it had the appearance of having been a convent, but was almost destroyed. The violence of the rabble on seeing us was so great that we were happy to be taken into any place like a house. The mayor of this town was a native of Cambray, and well known to us, one of his sisters having received her education amongst us; but he now appeared to know nothing of us, nor showed us the least indulgence. He was highly displeased at our being in the religious dress, and said the people of Cambray had acted against the law by not making every one shun a dress which the law had proscribed. The jailor of this prison seemed a quiet man, and his daughter was good enough to buy for us two faggots, some very brown bread, and a kettle of boiling water. We made tea, but sugar and milk were delicacies not to be thought of, or at least not obtained, besides being too much exhausted with grief and the fatigue endured that day to relish that then luxurious meal, so that the greater part not being disposed to eat, were glad to throw their wearied bodies on the floor, and spread a few bundles of clothes to stretch their languid limbs upon; even in that state we were frequently disturbed by the guards looking through the windows. Next night we passed at Peronne in the citadel. Here we were guarded by the National