Page:Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin. Records of a family of engineers.pdf/55

 letter, the boy was the first to carry word of the firing to the Rue St. Honoré; and that his news wherever he brought it was received with hurrahs. It was an odd entrance upon life for a little English lad, thus to play the part of rumour in such a crisis of the history of France.]

'But now a new fear came over me. I had little doubt but my papa was safe, but my fear was that he should arrive at home before me and tell the story; in that case I knew my mamma would go half mad with fright, so on I went as quick as possible, I heard no more discharges. When I got half way home, I found my way blocked up by troops. That way or the Boulevards I must pass. In the Boulevards they were fighting, and I was afraid all other passages might be blocked up … and I should have to sleep in a hotel in that case, and then my mamma—however, after a long détour, I found a passage and tan home, and in our street joined papa.

'… I'll tell you to-morrow the other facts gathered from newspapers and papa. … Tonight I have given you what I have seen with my own eyes an hour ago, and began trembling