Correspondance inédite de La Fayette : lettres de prison, lettres d'exil (1793-1801)

CORRESPONDANCE INÉDITE 287

M. de Lameth? Je ne communique pas avec mes deux amis, mais assurez leurs familles que leur santé est aussi bonne qu'une étroite et insalubre captivité peut le permettre.

LETTRE XXX. La Fayette à Bollmann.

Olmütz, 19 october 179%.

It is impraticable, my dear friend, now to enter into the particulars of my situation, which however I will do against the time the shaking doctor can come-back, provided you persuade him to give me your answer, and to smuggle another book to me. Let me only say, that the usual means of evasion have been so well provided against, that nothing is left for us butthe uncommonones. Itis true that if the lieutenant or the corporal provost were to fetch me the evening in the general’s name, I think I could get out, but it should be much easier, for the lieutenant who can ride with me, although he does not, or for the corporal who, to my greatest satisfaction, accompanies me, when we are out of town, to push forward and there find another carriage with prepared horses. The scheme could not fail unless we were betrayed.

Which to avoid, I have a plan equally easy, and you may depend on an undoubted success. The lieutenant is an old slavish hardened fool, the corporal provost a more sensible covetous, but most cowardly rogue. He may be bribed; but his cowardice is such that he may prefer a little reward and no danger to a fortune with some risk. Itis thousand times better to go off in spite of him when we ride together.