The warrior turned the remonstrance into pleasantry, replied to Roland that he owed his blood to the nation, but neither owed it the sacrifice of his tastes nor his amours; that he understood patriotism as a hero, and not as a puritan.

The bitterness of his language left venom behind, and they separated with mutual ill-feeling.
From this day forth he no longer visited at Roland's evening meetings.
Madame Roland, who understood the human heart by the superior instinct of her genius and her sex, was not deceived by the general's tactics.
"The hour is come to destroy Dumouriez," she said boldly to her friends.
"I know very well," she added, addressing Roland, "that you are incapable of descending either to intrigue or revenge; but remember that Dumouriez must conspire in his heart against those who have wounded him.
When such daring remonstrances have been made to such a man, and uselessly made, it is necessary to strike the blow if we would not be struck ourselves." She felt truly, and spoke sagaciously.

Dumouriez, whose rapid glance had seen behind the Girondists a party stronger and bolder than their own, began from this time to connect himself with the leaders of the Jacobins.

He thought, and with reason, that party hatred would be more potent than patriotism, and that by flattering the rivalry of Robespierre and Danton against Brissot, Petion, and Roland, he should find in the Jacobins themselves a support for the government.

He liked the king, pitied the queen, and all his prejudices were in favour of the monarchy.