“NowIhavecouragetobeareverything，“shesaidtoSt。Priest。
“Mychildrenareinsafety!Wouldonlythatthekingwerehere!“
Atthesameinstantthedooropenedandthekingentered。MarieAntoinettehastenedtomeethim，threwherselfwithacryofjoyintohisarms，andrestedherhead，whichhadbeforebeenerectwithcourage，heavilyonhisshoulder。
“Oh，sire，mydearsire!thankGodthatyouarehere。NowIfearnothingmore!Youwillnotsufferustoperishinmisery!Youwillbreathecourageintothesedespairingones，andtelltheinexperiencedwhattheyhavetodo。Sire，Parisismarchingagainstus，butwithusthereareGodandFrance。YouwilldefendthehonorofFranceandyourcrownagainsttherebels？“
Thekingansweredconfusedly，andasifinayieldingframeofmind。
“Wemustfirsthearwhatthepeoplewant，“hesaid；“wemustnotapproachthemthreateningly，wemustfirstdiscussmatterswiththem。“
“Sire，“answeredthequeen，inamazement，“todiscusswiththerebelsnowistoimplythattheyareintheright，andyouwillnot，youcannotdothat!“
“Iwillconsultwithmyadvisers，“saidtheking，pointingattheministers，who，summonedbySt。Priest，werethenenteringtheroom。
Butwhataconsultationwasthat!Everyonemadepropositions，andyetnooneknewwhattodo。Noonewouldtaketheresponsibilityofthematteruponhimself，andyeteveryonefeltthatthedangerincreasedeveryminute。Butwhattodo？Thatwasthequestionwhichnoonewasabletoanswer，andbeforewhichthekingwasmute。Notsothequeen，however。
“Sire!“criedshe，withglowingcheeks，“sire，youhavetosavetherealm，andtodefenditfromrevolution。Thecontestishere，andwecannotwithdrawfromit。Callyourguards，putyourselfattheirhead，andallowmetoremainatyourside。Weoughtnottoyieldtorevolution，andifwecannotcontrolit，weshouldsufferittoenterthepalaceofthekingsofFranceonlyoverourdeadbodies。
Sire，wemusteitherliveaskings，orknowhowtodieaskings!“
ButLouisrepliedtothisburstofnoblevalorinabravewoman’ssoul，onlywithholdingbackandtimidity。Plansweremadeandcastaside。Theywentondeliberatingtillthewildyellsofthepeoplewereheardevenwithinthepalace。
Thequeen，paleandyetcalm，hadwithdrawntotheadjoiningapartment。Theresheleanedagainstthedoorandlistenedtothewordsoftheministers，andtothenewreportswhichwereallthetimecominginfromthestreets。
ThecrowdhadreachedVersailles，andwasstreamingthroughthestreetsofthecityinthedirectionofthepalace。TheNationalGuardofVersailleshadfraternizedwiththeParisians。Somescatteredsoldiersoftheroyalguardhadbeenthreatenedandinsulted，andevendraggedfromtheirhorses!
Thequeenheardall，andheardbesidestheconsultationofthekingandhisministers——stillcomingtonodecisiveresults，doubtingandhesitating，whilethefearfulcrisiswasadvancingfromthestreet。
Alreadymusket-shotswereheardonthegreatsquareinfrontofthepalace，wildcries，andloud，harshvoices。MarieAntoinetteleftherplaceatthedoorandhurriedtothewindow，whereaviewcouldbehadofthewholesquare。Shesawthedarkdust-cloudwhichhungovertheroadtoParis；shesawtheunriddenhorses，runninginadvanceofthecrowd，theirriders，membersoftheroyalguard，havingbeenkilled；sheheardtheragingdiscords，whichsurgeduptothepalacelikeawavedrivenbythewind；shesawthisblack，dreadfulwavesweepalongtheParisroad，roaringasitwent。
Whatafearfulmass!Howling，shriekingwomen，withloosenedhair，andwithmenacinggestures，extendedtheirnakedarmstowardthepalacedefiantly，theireyesnaming，theirmouthsoverflowingwithcurses。Wildmen’sfigures，withtornblouses，thesleevesrolledupoverdustyanddirtyarms，andbearingpikes，knives，andguns，hereandtheremembersoftheNationalGuardmarchingwiththemarminarm，pressedontowardthepalace。Sometimesshrieksandyells，sometimescoarsepealsoflaughter，orthreateningcries，issuedfromtheconfusedcrowd。Nearerandnearersurgedthedreadfulwaveofdestructiontotheroyalpalace。Nowithasreachedit。Maddenedfistspoundedupontheirongatesbeforetheinnercourt，andthreateningvoicesdemandedentrance：hundredsandhundredsofwomenshriekedwithwildgestures：
“Wewanttocomein!Wewanttospeakwiththebaker!Wewilleatthequeen’sgutsifwecannotgetanythingelsetoeat!“
Andthousandsuponthousandsofwomen’svoicesrepeated——“Yes，wewilleatthequeen’sguts，ifwegetnothingelsetoeat!“
MarieAntoinettewithdrewfromthewindow；herbearingwasgraveanddefiant，alaughofscornplayedoverherproudly-drawn-upupper-
lip，herheadwaserect，herstepdecisive，dignified。
Shewentagaintothekingandhisministers。“Sire，“saidshe，“thepeoplearehere。Itisnowtoolatetosupplicatethem，asyouwantedtodo。Nothingremainsforyouexcepttodefendyourself，andtosavethecrownforyoursonthedauphin，evenifitfallsfromyourownhead。“
“Itremainsforus，“answeredtheking，gravely，“tobringthepeoplebacktoasenseofduty。Theyaredeceivedaboutus。Theyareexcited。Wewilltrytoconciliatethem，andtoshowthemourfatherlyinterestinthem。“
Thequeenstaredinamazementatthepleasant，smilingfaceoftheking；then，withaloudcryofpain，whichescapedfromherbreastlikethelastgaspofadyingman，sheturnedaround，andwentuptothePrincedeLuxemburg，thecaptainoftheguard，whojustthenenteredthehall。
“Doyoucometotellusthatthepeoplehavetakenthepalace？“
criedthequeen，withanangryburstfromherverysoul。
“Madame，“answeredtheprince，“hadthatbeenthecase，Ishouldnothavebeenherealive。Onlyovermybodywilltherabbleenterthepalace。“
“Ah，“mutteredMarieAntoinettetoherself，“therearemeninVersaillesyet，therearebravemenyettodefendus!“
“Whatnewsdoyoubring，captain？“askedtheking，steppingup。
“Sire，Iamcometoreceiveyourcommands，“answeredtheprince，bowingrespectfully。“Thismobofshamelessshrewsisgrowingmoremaddened，moreshamelesseverymoment。Thousandsandthousandsofarmsaretryingthegates，andgunsarefiredwithsteadyaimattheguards。Ibegyourmajestytoempowermetorepelthisattackofmadwomen!“
“Whatanidea，captain!“criedLouis，shrugginghisshoulders。
“Ordertoattackacompanyofwomen!Youarejoking，prince!“
[Footnote：Theking’sownwords——SeeWeber，“Memoires，“vol。t，p。
433。]
AndthekingturnedtoCountdelaMarck，whowasenteringtheroom。
“Youcomewithnewnews。Whatisit，count？“
“Sire，thewomenaremostdesirousofspeakingwithyourmajesty，andpresentingtheirgrievances。“
“Iwillhearthem，“criedtheking，eagerly。“Tellthewomentochoosesixoftheirnumberandbringthemintomycabinet。Iwillgotheremyself。“
“Sire，youaregoingtogiveaudiencetorevolution，“criedMarieAntoinette，seizingthearmoftheking，whowasonthepointofleavingtheroom。“Iconjureyou，myhusband，donotbeoverpoweredbyyourmagnanimousheart!Letnotthemajestyoftherealmbedefiledbytheraginghandsofthesefuries!Remainhere。Oh，sire，ifmyprayers，mywisheshaveanypowerwithyou，remainhere!Sendaministertotreatwiththesewomeninyourname。Butdonotconfronttheirimpudencewiththedignityofthecrown。Sire，togivethemaudienceistogiveaudiencetorevolution；andfromthehourwhenittakesplace，revolutionhasgainedthevictoryoverthekinglyauthority!Donotgo，ohdonotgo!“
“Ihavegivenmyword，“answeredLouis，gently。“IhavesentwordtothewomenthatIwouldreceivethem，andtheyshallnotsaythatthefirsttimetheysetfootinthepalaceoftheirking，theyweredeceivedbyhim。Andsee，therecomesthecounttotakeme!“
AndthekingfollowedwithhastystepCountdelaMarck，whojustthenappearedatthedoor。
Sixwomenofwilddemeanor，withdusty，dirtyclothes，theirhairstreamingoutfromtheirroundwhitecaps，wereassembledinthecabinetoftheking，andstaredathimwithdefianteyesasheentered。Buthisgentledemeanorandpleasantvoiceappearedtosurprisethem；andLouiseChably，thespeaker，whohadselectedthewomen，foundonlytimid，modestwords，withwhichtopainttothekingthemisfortune，theneed，andthepitiableconditionofthepeople，andwithwhichtoentreathispityandassistance。
“Ah，mychildren，“answeredthekingwithasigh，“onlybelieveme，itisnotmyfaultthatyouaremiserable，andIamstillmoreunhappythanyou。IwillgivedirectionstoCorbeilandD’Estampes，thecontrollersofthegrain-stores，togiveoutallthattheycanspare。Ifmycommandshadalwaysbeenobeyed，itwouldbebetterwithusall!IfIcoulddoeverything，couldseetoitthatmycommandswereeverywherecarriedintoeffect，youwouldnotbeunhappy；andyoumustconfess，atleast，thatyourkinglovesyouasafatherhischildren，andthatnothingliessocloselyathisheartasyourwelfare。Go，mychildren，andtellyourfriendstoproveworthyoftheloveoftheirking，andtoreturnpeaceablytoParis。“
[Footnote：Theking’sownwords——See。A。deBeauchesne，“LouisXVI……saVie，sonAgonie，“etc。，vol。i。，p。43。]
“Longlivetheking!Longliveourfather!“criedthetouchedandpacifiedwomen，astremblingandwithtearsintheireyes，theylefttheroyalcabinet，inordertogotothewomenbelow，andannouncetothemwhatthekinghadsaid。
Buttheroyalwordsfoundnoresponseamongtheexcitedmasses。“Wearehungry，wewantbread，“shoutedthewomen。“Wearenotgoingtoliveonwordsanymore。Thekingshallgiveusbread，andthenweshallseeitprovedthathelovesuslikeafather；thenwewillgobacktoParis。Ifthebakerbelievesthathecansatisfyuswithwordsandfinespeeches，heismistaken。“