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APPENDIX.
319

a convent belonging to nuns of the Order of the Visitation, but was then a common prison. The gentlemen of the district of Compiègne frequently visited the place. Whenever they called upon us they asked a thousand questions, but upon the whole behaved with civility. The procurator syndic, observing us half starved and perishing with cold, had the goodness to write twice to Cambray to the municipality of that city, to desire they would return some part of our wearing apparel, but they never sent any. We had a room assigned us in the infirmary of the convent; the adjoining apartment was occupied by persons of all descriptions and ranks, their numbers increased daily—whole families were sometimes brought together. It seems this place had been fixed on in preference to Cambray because it was more within the reach of the assassins of Paris, who then deluged the streets of that capital with human blood. On the 25th of November 1793 a great number of prisoners were brought from Cambray, amongst whom were the Rev. Messrs. Walker and Higginson and the Hon. Thomas Roper. It is not easy to express the joy we felt on seeing Mr. Walker, for we had lost all hopes of ever seeing him again: he also seemed much affected. But this transient gleam of pleasure was not a little allayed by orders very soon given that we should by no means be allowed to converse with them, one of the members observing to his colleagues that if they were permitted to visit or see us, some part of religious worship might probably be kept up amongst us, which he said they were bound to root out entirely. After this we saw Mr. Walker, &c., but seldom, and always in fear. It certainly cost him much uneasiness to be obliged to pass his time with a set of men whose manners and conversation were shocking to every well-disposed person. Soon after this the very man who had with club in hand turned us out