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their hands； and all directing their countenances； before hyena…like
and scornful； but now subdued and sympathetic； to the queen； who
with calm eye and gentle look responded to the salutations of the
retreating crowd with a friendly nod。
In the mean while the long…delayed help had reached the king： the
National Guards had overcome the raging multitude； and gained
possession of the great reception…room where Louis was。 The mayor of
Paris； Petion； had come at last； and； hailed loudly by the crowd
which occupied the whole space in the rear of the National Guards；
he approached the king。
〃Sire；〃 said he； 〃I have just learned what is going on here。〃
〃I am surprised at that；〃 answered the king； with a reproachful
look； 〃the mayor of Paris ought to have learned before this about
this tumult； which has now been lasting three hours。〃
〃But is now at an end； sire； since I have come；〃 cried Petion；
proudly。 〃You have now nothing more to fear； sire。〃
〃To fear？〃 replied Louis with a proud shrug。 〃A man who has a good
conscience does not fear。 Feel；〃 he said； taking the hand of the
grenadier who stood at his side； 〃lay your hand upon my heart； and
tell this man whether it beats faster。〃 ＇Footnote： The king's words。
The grenadier's name whose hand the king took； was Lalanne。 Later；
in the second year of 〃the one and indivisible republic；〃 he was
condemned to die by the guillotine； because； as stated in the
sentence； he showed himself on the 30th of June； 1798； as a common
servant of tyranny； and boasted to other citizens that Capet took
his hand； laid it upon his heart； and said： 〃Feel； my friend；
whether it beats quicker。〃See Hue； 〃Dernieres Annees de Louis
Seize；〃 p。 180。＇
Petion now turned to the people and commanded them to withdraw。
〃Fellow…citizens；〃 said he； 〃you began this day wisely and worthily；
you have proved that you are free。 End the day as you began it。
Separate peaceably； do as I do； return to your houses； and go to
bed！〃 The multitude； flattered by Petion's praises； began to
withdraw； and the National Guards escorted the king into the great
council…chamber； where a deputation of the National Assembly had met
to pay their respects to the king。
〃Where is the queen； where are the children？〃 cried the king； as；
exhausted； he sank into a chair。
His gentlemen hastened out to bring them； and soon the queen and the
children came in。 With extended arms Marie Antoinette hastened to
her husband； and they remained a long time locked in their embrace。
〃Papa king；〃 cried the dauphin； 〃give me a kiss； too！ I have
deserved it； for I was brave and did not cry when the people put the
red cap on my head。〃
The king stooped down to the child and kissed his golden hair； and
then pressed his little daughter； who was nestling up to him； to his
heart。
The deputies stood with curious looks around the group； to whom it
was not granted； even after such a fearful day and such imminent
peril； to embrace each other； and thank God for their preservation；
without witnesses。
〃Confess； madame；〃 said one of the deputies to Marie Antoinette； in
a confidential tone； 〃confess that you have experienced great
anxiety。〃
〃No； sir；〃 replied the queen； 〃I have not been anxious； but I have
suffered severely； because I was separated from the king at a moment
when his life was threatened。 I had at least my children with me；
and so could discharge one of my duties。〃
〃I will not excuse every thing that took place to…day；〃 said the
deputy； with a shrug。 〃But confess at least； madame； that the people
conducted themselves very well。〃
〃Sir； the king and I are convinced of the natural good…nature of the
people； they are only bad when they are led astray。〃
Some other deputies approached the dauphin； and directed various
questions to him； in order to convince themselves about his
precocious understanding that was so much talked about。
One of the gentlemen； speaking of the day that had gone by； compared
it with St。 Bartholomew's night。
〃The comparison does not hold；〃 cried another： 〃here is no Charles
the Ninth。〃
〃And no Catherine de Medicis either；〃 said the dauphin； quickly；
pressing the hand of the queen to his lips。
〃Oh！ see the little scholar；〃 cried the by…standers。 〃Let us see
whether he knows as much about geography as about history！〃
And all pressed up to him； to put questions to him about the
situation and boundaries of France； and about the division of the
French territory into departments and districts。 The prince answered
all these questions quickly and correctly。 After every answer he
cast an inquiring glance at the queen； and when he read in her looks
that his answer had been correct； his eyes brightened； and his
cheeks glowed with pleasure。
〃Our dauphin is really very learned；〃 cried one of the deputies。 〃I
should like to know whether he has paid any attention yet to the
arts。 Do you love music； my little prince？〃
〃Ah； sir；〃 answered the dauphin； eagerly； 〃whoever has heard mamma
sing and play； must love music！〃
〃Do you sing too； prince？〃
The dauphin raised his eyes to his mother。 〃Mamma；〃 he asked； 〃shall
I sing the prayer of this morning？〃
Marie Antoinette nodded。 〃Sing it； my son； for perhaps God heard it
this morning； and has graciously answered it。〃
The dauphin sank upon his knees； and folding his hands； he raised
his head and turned his blue eyes toward heaven； and； with a sweet
voice and a mild； smiling look； he sang these words：
〃Ciel； entends la priere Qu'ici je fais； Conserve un si boil pere A
ses sujets。〃 ＇Footnote： See Beauchesne； vol。 i。； p。 146。 This scene
is historical。 Sees Hue； 〃Dernioree Anneesde Louis XVI。〃 This prayer
is from the opera so much admired at that time； 〃Peter the Great〃 〃O
Heaven； accept the prayer； I offer here； Unto his subjects spare My
father dear。〃＇
A deep； solemn silence reigned while the dauphin's voice rang
through the room。 The faces of the deputies； hitherto defiant and
severe； softened； deeply moved。 They all looked at the beautiful
boy； who was still on his knees； his countenance beaming； and with a
smile upon it like the face of one in a blissful dream。 No one
ventured to break the silence。 The king； whose arm was thrown around
the neck of his daughter； looked affectionately at the dauphin；
Madame Elizabeth had folded her hands； and was praying； but Marie
Antoinette； no longer able to control her deep emotion； covered her
face with her hands； and wept in silence。
From this day the life of the royal family was one of constant
excitementan incessant； feverish expectation of coming evil。 The
king bore it all with an uncomplaining resignation； no one drew from
him a complaint； no one a reproach。 But the thought never seemed to
occur to him that perhaps even yet safety might be attained by
energy； by spirit； or even by flight。
He had surrendered all； he was ready to suffer as a Christian
instead of rising as a king； and preferred to fall in honorable
battle rather than to live despised。
Marie Antoinette had given up her efforts to inspire her husband
with her own energetic will。 She knew that all was in vain； and had
accepted her fate。 Since she could not live as a queen； she would at
least die as one。 She made her preparations for this calmly and with
characteristic decision。 〃They will kill me； I know；〃 she said to
her maids。 〃I have only one duty left me； to prepare myself to die！〃
She lost her accustomed spirit； wept much； and exhibited a great
deal of feeling。 Yet she still stood guard over the shattered throne
like a resolute sentinel； and looked around with sharp and searching
glances； to keep an eye on the enemy； and to be ready for his nearer
approach。
She still continued to receive news about every thing that
transpired in Paris； every thing that was resolved upon in the
National Assembly and discussed in the clubs； and had the libels and
pamphlets which were directed at her all sent to her。 Marie
Antoinette understood the condition of the capital and the feeling
of the people better than did the king （who often sat for hours； and
at times whole days； silent and unoccupied） better even than did the
ministers。 She received every morning the reports of the emissaries；
followed the intrigues of the conspirators； and was acquainted with
the secret assemblies which Marat called together； and the alliances
of the clubs。 She knew about the calling together of the forty…eight
sections of the Paris 〃fraternity〃 in one general convention。 She
knew that Potion； Danton； and Manuel； three raving republicans； were
at the head； and that their emissaries were empowered to stir up the
suburbs of the city。 She knew； too； that the monsters from
Marseilles； who had been active on the 20th of June； were boasting
that they were going to repeat the deeds of that day on a greater
scale。
Nor was it unknown to her that more than half the deputies in the
National Assembly belonged to the Jacobin party； and that they were
looking for an opportunity to strike a fresh blow at royalty。 Very
often； when at dead of night Marie Antoinette heard the noisy chorus
of the rioters from Marseilles singing beneath her windows；
〃Allons； enfants de l