On Sunday, the 28th, they passed through Sedan,
where they witnessed an uncalled for panic, which
awakened the growing suspicions of the young
Prince that all was not going well. On the road near
Vrigne-aux-Bois, they met an ambulance. The
Prince requested it to halt, enquired after the
wounded and gave the men some money. What he
was told by these poor fellows confirmed his sus-
picions. He felt pretty sure that all was not well;
but he said nothing. On Monday, the 29th, they

128



THE PEINCE'S ^^ BAPTISM OF FIKE''

reached Mezieres, where they did not stop but went
on the next day through Avesnes and Landrecies,
where the Prince was loudly and enthusiastically
dheered. These cheers gave the boy fresh hopes ; his
spirits were kept up by the novelty of the surround-
ings, and the continual change of place, view and
people. ' ' He charmed us all by his good nature and
seriousness,'' said one of his companions to me
later; ^^ though he intuitively felt that something
was wrong, he discreetly put no awkward questions,
which was not the least praiseworthy peculiarity of
his conduct under these most trying circumstances."

The whole party suffered the greatest anxiety all
the time during this journey, which was of necessity
accomplished in a very stealthy and round-about
manner. On Sunday came the news of the disaster
at Sedan, which, of course, augmented this nervous-
ness and rendered it still harder to keep the truth
from the intelligent Prince. As long as possible this
last catastrophe was hidden from him, and he flatly
refused at first to join in the retreating movement.
The secret was still kept, and for two days longer he
remained ignorant of the defeat in the Ardennes
and the revolution at Paris.
