Allpassionsareunfettered，allwanttofightforfreedom，andagainstthechainswithwhichtheroyalgovernmenthasheldthembound。Anabysshasopenedbetweenthecrownandthenation，andtheStates-GeneralandtheThirdEstatewillnotcloseit，butonlywidenit。Itellyou，Margaret，darkdaysareapproaching；Iseethemcoming，andIcannot，foryoursake，withdrawfromthem，forI
amthesoldierofthequeen。Imustkeepguardbeforeherdoor，and，ifIcannotsaveher，Imustdieinherservice。Knowthis，Margaret，butknow，too，thatIloveyou。Letmerepeat，thatfromyoualoneallfortuneandhappinesscancometome，andthendoyoudecide。Willyou，afterallthatIhavetoldyou，stillacceptmyhand，whichIofferyouintenderestaffection？Willyoubemywife，knowingthatmylifebelongsnottoyoualone，butstillmoretoanother？Willyousharewithmethedangersofastormytime，ofaninevitablefuturewithme，anddevoteyourselfwith，metotheserviceofthequeen？Examineyourself，Margaret，beforeyouanswer。
Donotforgetyourgreatandnobleheart；considerthatitisavastsacrificetodevoteyourlifetoamanwhoispreparedeveryhourtogivehislifeforanotherwoman——toleavetheoneheloves，andtogotohisdeathindefenceofhisqueen。Proveyourheart；and，ifyoufindthatthesacrificeistoogreat，turnyourfaceawayfromme，andIwillquicklygomyway——willnotcomplain，willthinkthatithappensrightly，willloveyoumywholelifelong，andthankyouforthepleasanthourswhichyourlovehasgrantedtome。“
Hehaddroppedfromthedivanuponhisknee，andlookeduptoherwithsupplicatingandanxiouseyes。ButMargaretdidnotturnherfaceawayfromhim。Aheavenlysmileplayedoverherfeatures，hereyebeamedwithloveandemotion。Andasherglancesankdeepintotheheartofherlover，hecaughtthelookasifithadbeenarayofsunlight。Shelaidherarmsuponhisshoulders，andpressinghisheadtoherbosom，shebowedoverhimandkissedhisblack，curlyhair。
“Ah!Iloveyou，Louis，“shewhispered。“Iamreadytodevotemylifetoyou，toshareyourdangerswithyou，andinallconteststostandbyyourside。Soldierofthequeen，inmeyoushallalwayshaveacomrade。WithyouIwillfightforher，withyoudieforher，ifitmustbe。Wewillhaveacommonloveforher，wewillserveherincommon，andwithfidelityandlovethankherforthegoodwhichshehasdonetoyouandyourfather。“
“Blessingsuponyou，Margaret!“criedToulan，asbreakingintotearsherestedhisheaduponthekneeofhisaffianced。“Blessingsonyou，angelofmyloveandhappiness!“Thenhesprangup，and，drawingtheyounggirlwithinhisarms，heimpressedaglowingkissuponherlips。
“Thatismybetrothalkiss，Margaret；nowyouaremine；inthishouroursoulsareunitedinnever-endingloveandfaithfulness。Nothingcanseparateusafterthis，forwejourneyhandinhanduponthesameroad；wehavethesamegreatandhallowedgoal!Nowcome，mylove，letustakeourplacebeforethealtarofGod，andtestifywithanoathtothelovewhichwecherishtowardourqueen!“
Heofferedherhisarm，and，bothsmiling，bothwithbeamingfaces，lefttheroom，andjoinedtheweddingguestswhohadlongbeenwaitingforthemwithgrowingimpatience。Theyenteredthecarriagesanddrovetothechurch。Withjoyfulfacesthebridalpairpledgedtheirmutualfidelitybeforethealtar，andtheirhandspressedoneanother，andtheireyesmetwithasecretunderstandingofallthatwasmeantatthatwedding。Theybothknewthatatthatmomenttheywerepledgingtheirfidelitytothequeen，andthat，whileseemingtogivethemselvesawaytoeachother，theywerereallygivingthemselvestotheirsovereign。
Attheconclusionoftheceremony，theyleftthechurchofSt。Louistorepairtotheweddingdinner，whichCouncillorBugeaudhadorderedtobepreparedinoneofthemostbrilliantrestaurantsofVersailles。
“Willyounottellmenow，mydearson，“hesaidtoToulan——“willyounottellmenowwhyyouwishsostronglytocelebratetheweddinginVersailles，andnotinParis，andwhyinthechurchofSt。Louis？“
“Iwilltellyou，father，“answeredToulan，pressingthearmofhisbrideclosertohisheart。“Iwantedhere，wherethecountryerectsitsaltar，whereinafewdaysthenationwillmeetfacetofacethesepoorearthlymajesties；here，whereinafewdaystheStates-
Generalwillconvene，todefendtherightofthepeopleagainsttheprerogativeofthesovereign，herealonetogivetomylifeitsnewconsecration。Versailleswillfromthistimebedoublydeartome。I
shallowetoitmylife’shappinessasaman，myfreedomasacitizen。TheyhavedonemethehonorinRouentoelectmetoaplaceintheThirdEstate，andas，inafewdays，theAssemblyoftheNationwillmeethereinVersailles，Iwantedmywholefuturehappinesstobeconnectedwiththeplace。AndIwantedtobemarriedinSt。Louis’schurch，becauseIlovethegoodKingLouis。Heisthetrueandsincerefriendofthenation，andhewouldliketomakehispeoplehappy，ifthequeen，theAustrian，wouldallowit。“
“Yes，indeed，“sighedthecouncillor，who，inspiteofhisrelationtoMadamedeCampan，belongedtotheopponentsofthequeen——“yes，indeed，iftheAustrianwomanallowedit。ButsheisnotwillingthatFranceshouldbehappy。Woetothequeen；allourmiserycomesfromher!
Onthemorningofthe5thofMay，1789，thesolemnopeningoftheStates-GeneralofFrancewastooccuratVersailles。Thisearlydatewasappointedfortheconvocationoftheestates，inordertobeabletoprotractasmuchaspossibletheceremonialproceedings。ButatthesametimethisoccasionwastobeimprovedinpreparingasensiblehumiliationforthemembersoftheThirdEstate。
IntheavenueoftheVersaillespalacealargeandfinehallwasfixeduponasthemostappropriateplaceforreceivingthetwelvehundredrepresentativesofFrance，andanumerouscompanyofspectatorsbesides；and，beingchosen，wasappropriatelyfittedup。
LouisXVI。himself，whowasveryfondofsketchinganddrawingarchitecturalplans，hadbusiedhimselfinthemostzealouswaywiththearrangementsanddecorationsofthehall。
Ithadlongbeenamatterofspecialinteresttothekingtofituptheroomwhichwastoreceivetherepresentativesofthenation，inamannerwhichwouldbeworthyofsosignificantanoccasion。Hehadhimselfselectedthehangingsandthecurtainswhichweretoprotecttheaudiencefromthetooglaringlightoftheday。
WhenthemembersoftheThirdEstatearrived，theysawwiththegreatestastonishmentthattheywerenottoenterthehallbythesameentrancewhichwasappropriatedtotherepresentativesofthenobilityandtheclergy，whowerechosenatthesametimewiththemselves。Whileforthelasttwotheentrancewasappointedthroughthemaindoorofthehall，thecommonerswereallowedtoenterbyareardoor，openingintoadarkandnarrowcorridor，where，crowdedtogether，theywerecompelledtowaittillthedoorswereopened。
Almosttwohourselapsedbeforetheywereallowedtopassoutofthisdarkplaceofconfinementintothegreathall，atasignalfromtheMarquisdeBrize，themasterofceremonies。
Asplendidscenenowgreetedtheireyes。TheSalledeMenus，whichhadbeenfittedupforthereceptionofthenobility，displayedwithintworowsofIonicpillars，whichgavetothehallanunwontedairofdignityandsolemnity。Thehallwaslightedmainlyfromabove，throughaskylight，whichwascoveredwithascreenofwhitesarcenet。Agentlelightdiffuseditselfthroughouttheroom，makingoneobjectasdiscernibleasanother。Inthebackgroundthethronecouldbeseenonarichlyornamentedestradeandbeneathagildedcanopy，aneasy-chairforthequeen，tabouretsfortheprincesses，andchairsfortheothermembersoftheroyalfamily。Belowtheestradestoodthebenchdevotedtotheministersandthesecretariesofstate。Attherightofthethrone，seatshadbeenplacedfortheclergy，ontheleftforthenobility；whileinfrontwerethesixhundredchairsdevotedtotheThirdEstate。
TheMarquisdeBrize，withtwoassistantmastersofceremonies，nowbegantoassignthecommonerstotheirseats，inaccordancewiththesituationofthedistrictswhichtheyrepresented。
AstheDuked’OrleansappearedinthemidstoftheotherdeputiesofCrespy，therearosefromtheamphitheatre，wherethespectatorssat，agentlesoundofapplause，whichincreasedinvolume，andwasrepeatedbysomeofthecommoners，whenitwasnoticedthatthedukemadeaclergyman，whohadgonebehindhiminthedelegationfromthisdistrict，goinfrontofhim，anddidnotdesisttilltheround-belliedpriesthadreallytakenhisplacebeforehim。Inthemeantimethebenchoftheministershadbeguntofill。Theyappearedasabody，clothedinrichuniforms，heavywithgold。Onlyonesinglemanamongthemappearedinsimplecitizen’sclothing，andbearinghimselfasnaturallyasifhewereengagedinbusinessofthestate，orinordinaryparlorconversation，andbynomeansasiftakingpartinanextraordinarysolemnity。Assoonashewasseen，therearoseonallsides，asmuchintheassemblyasonthetribune，amovementasofjoywhichculminatedinageneralclappingofhands。
Themanwhoreceivedthissalutationwasthenewly-appointedministeroffinance，Necker，towhomthenationwaslookingforareestablishmentofitsprosperityandofitscredit。
Neckermanifestedonlybyathoughtfulsmile，whichmountedtohisearnest，thought-furrowedface，thathewasconscioustowhomthegarlandofsupremepopularitywasextendedatthismoment。
Next，thedeputationofProvenceappeared，inthemidstofwhichtoweredCountMirabeau，withhisproud，erectbearing，advancingtotaketheplaceappointedforhim。Hisappearancewasthesignforafewhandstocommenceclappinginadistantpartofthehall，inhonorofamansomuchtalkedofinPrance，andofwhomsuchstrangethingsweresaid。Butatthisinstantthekingappeared，accompaniedbythequeen，followedbytheprincesandprincessesoftheroyalfamily。
Attheentranceoftheking，thewholeassemblybrokeintoaloud，enthusiasticshoutofapplauseandofjoy。TheThirdEstateaswell，atasignalfromCountMirabeau，hadquicklyrisen，butcontinuedtostandwithoutbendingtheknee，ashadbeen，atthelasttimewhenalltheestatewereassembled，theinvariablerule。OnlyoneoftherepresentativesoftheThirdEstate，ayoungmanwithenergetic，proudface，anddark，glowingeyes，benthiskneewhenhesawthequeenenteringbehindtheking。Butthepowerfulhandofhisneighborwaslaiduponhisshoulderanddrewhimquicklyup。
“Mr。Deputy，“whisperedthisneighbortohim，“itbecomestherepresentativesofthenationtostanderectbeforethecrown。“
“Itistrue，CountMirabeau，“answeredToulan。“Ididnotbendmykneetothecrown，buttothequeenas，abeautifulwoman。“
Mirabeaumadenoreply，butturnedhisflamingeyestotheking。