48  MEMOIRS    OF

10.    Fetes   to   celebrates   the  anniversary  of  the
subversion  of  royalty  in  France.    Foot-racing,  horse-
racing,  and  running  at  the  ring  in  the  Champ  de
Mars.     The  Directory,  Ministers,  and    constituted
authorities,  assisted  in  grand  costume,  with   the  fo-
reign ambassadors.    It  was  a  dehcious  evening.    The
prizes   were  all   military,   sabres,   pistols,   and  car-
bines, of  the  manufactory  of  Versailles.     This  is  ex-
actly as  it  should  be.     The  concourse  of  people  was
immense,  and  I  was  very  glad  to  observe  that  every
body  seemed  pleased  and  happy.  When  the  Directory
rose  from  their  place  to  retire,  the  people  forced  the
sentinels,  and  got  into  the  centre,  in  order  to  see
them.    I  was  delighted  to  observe  that  circumstance,
which  I  look  upon  as  by  no  means  trifling.     After
the  exercises  in  the  Champ  de  Mars  were  over,  the
people  retired  en  masse  to  the  Champs  Elyse6s,  where
there  was  a  most  magnificent  illumination  and  fire-
works.    I  never  saw  anything  so  brilliant  in  the  way
of  coup  d'ceil.     The  Muscadins  and  elegant  women
of  Paris  made  it  a  point  to  stay  away,  but  nobody
missed  them.     The  French  enjoy  these  kind  of  spec-
tacles better  than  any  people  on  earth,  and,  for  my
part,  I  never  was  more  amused  and  gratified  than  in
observing  the  spectators.    Altogether,  I  spent  a  very
pleasant,  I  may  almost  say  a  happy  day.
13.  Saw  Cherin  this  morning  :  he  tells  me  it  may
be  ten  days  yet  before  we  get  off.  Hell !  hell !  hell !
How  shall  I  get  over  these  eternal  delays  ?  Hoche  set
off  yesterday.
