Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/136

 deserters; when the landlord, observing our apparent indignation, which he mistook for real, interposed in order to keep peace, and begged us to take no notice of it, as they were drunk; to which we feigned an unwilling acquiescence, but were, nevertheless, somewhat disconcerted; however, he fell asleep again, and, soon after, they departed, too drunk to make any further observation. Notwithstanding our fears and the garlic, we ate a most hearty supper; at midnight, after preparing everything for a start, in case of emergency, and all our clothes dry, we lay down on two beds, each keeping watch in turn, until four A. M. when we bought two flasks of spirits and some provisions. The weather was fine, and not a creature stirring, but the landlord; we paid him, and departed. Without thinking of the road to Ghent, we turned to the left, when he called to us, "You are going wrong;" we thanked him, and proceeded as he directed; the door, however, was no sooner closed, than we crossed the street, one by one, crept silently past his house, and