"We cried, 'Vive le Roi!' and the people responded. We heard,
very distinctly--'My good friends, have you no fear? Are you not
sick? How beautiful it is! Heaven preserve you! Adieu, my
friends.'
"I was touched to tears by this tender and true interest which
our appearance had called forth.
"We continued to wave our flags without cessation, and we
perceived that these signals greatly increased the cheerfulness
and calmed the solicitude of the people below. Often we
descended sufficiently low to hear what they shouted to us. They
asked us where we came from, and at what hour we had started.
"We threw over successively frock-coats, muffs, and habits.
Sailing on above the Ile d'Adam, after having admired the
splendid view, we made signals with our flags, and demanded news
of the Prince of Conti. One cried up to us, in a very powerful
voice, that he was at Paris, and that he was ill. We regretted
missing such an opportunity of paying our respects, for we could
have descended into the prince's gardens, if we had wished, but
we preferred to pursue our course, and we re-ascended. Finally,
we arrived at the plain of Nesles.
"We saw from the distance groups of peasants, who ran on before
us across the fields.
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