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Ch. XVIII.]
the Emperor Napoleon.
215

sign none must venture forth, unless they made up their minds to be taken prisoners, and confined for the night in the first guard house they came near. A consultation was held, and the most daring of the party declared the risk of returning home must be run; amongst the boldest of these was my father; and, being under his command, my mother and sister, with myself, and a large proportion of the guests, mounted their horses and set forward. The night was star-light, but the road so bad and unfrequented, that though for a long while the sentries placed about the heights were eluded, our way was lost. I shall never forget the scrambling and tumbling about, the horses feet tripping under them every moment, over loose stones. At length, my father hailed a light, which appeared at a short distance before us—a most unlucky circumstance. He was answered by a sentry presenting his musket, and demanding "Who goes there?" "A friend," says my father. "Advance,