Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/226

 about twenty prisoners, chained to each other by the neck, and escorted by four horse gens d'armes; instead of turning down a cross street to avoid them, we walked boldly past, to the great amusement of my sister, of whose firmness of mind I cannot speak too highly.

Neirinks rejoined us on the third day with some important information, and assured us, that the vigilant manner in which the patroles performed their duty, communicating hourly, along the whole line of coast, would render our embarkation extremely hazardous; this, however, was only a reason to be the more prudent. On the 17th, we proceeded, by the "diligence," to Brussels, where the same routine of sending our passports to the police-office, was necessary, to insure our safety. We escorted the lady to her aunt's, and retired to a public house, where our conversation was generally upon the subject of wine, for fear of being overheard, knowing that such places swarmed with spies. I went to the park, hoping to meet with an old Verdun acquaintance, named Hinds, re