“Imustknowwhatisgoingon，“whisperedCampan，andwithcooldecisionsheputthekeyintothedoor，turnedit，enteredtheantechamber，andflewtothewindow，wheretherewasaviewofthewholecourt；andafearfulsightmetherthere。Thecrowdhadbrokenthegate，pressedintothecourt，andwassurgingingreatmassestowardthepalacedoors。Hereandtheretorchesthrewtheirglareoverthesemasses，disclosingmenwithangrygestures，andwomenwithstreaminghair，swingingtheirarmssavagely，andseeminglikeapictureofhell，nottobesurpassedinhorrorevenbythephantasmsofDante。Womenchangedtofuriesandbacchanalians，roaringandshoutingintheirmurderousdesires；men，likeblood-
thirstytigers，preparingtospringupontheirprey，andgiveitthedeath-stroke；swingingpikesandguns，whichgleamedhorriblyintheglareofthetorches；armsandfistsbearingthreateningdaggersandknives!Allthiswaspressingonuponthepalace——alltheseclinchedfistswouldsoonbeengagedinhammeringuponthewallswhichseparatedthekingandqueenfromthepeople——theexecutionerfromhisvictim!
Allatoncethererangoutafearful，thunderingcry，whichmadethewindowsrattle，andcalledforthaterribleechoaboveinthedesertedhall；forthroughalltheseshrieksandhowls，thereresoundednowapiercingcry，suchasonlythegreatestpainorthemostinstantneedcanextortfromhumanlips。
“Thatwasadeath-cry，“whisperedMadamedeCampan，trembling，anddrawingbackfromthewindow。“TheyhavecertainlykilledtheSwissguards，whoarekeepingthedoor；theywillnowpourintothepalace。OGod!whatwillbecomeofVaricourt？Imustknowwhatisgoingon!“
SheflewthroughtheantechamberandopenedthedooroftheSwisshall。Itwasempty，butoutsideofitcouldbeheardaconfused，mixedmassofsounds，cries，andthetrampingasofhundredsandhundredsofmencomingon。Nearerandnearercamethesound，moredistincteverymoment。AllatoncethedoorwasflungopenontheothersideoftheSwisshall，thedoorwhichledout，andVaricourtappearedinit，pushedbackwardbytheraging，howlingmass。Hestillsoughttoresisttheoncomingtrampofthesesavagemen，and，withamovementlikelightning，puttinghisweaponacrossthedoor，hewasableforoneminutetoholdtheplaceagainstthetide——justsolongasthearmswhichheldtheweaponhadinthemthepulseoflife!Varicourtlookedlikeadyingman；hisuniformwastornandcut，hisfacedeathlypale，andononesidedisfiguredbythebloodwhichwasstreamingdownfromabroadwoundinhisforehead。
“Itistime，itistime!“hecried，withaloudtremulousvoice，and，ashesawforaninstantthefaceofCampanattheoppositedoor，aflashofjoypassedoverhisface。
“Savethequeen!Theywillmurderher!“[Varicourt’slastwords——
See“MemoiresdeMadamedeCampan，“vol。ii。，p。77。]
MadamedeCampanhastilyclosedthedoor，drewthegreatbolt，andthensprangthroughtheantechamberintothewaiting-room，andbolteditsdoortoo。Then，aftershehaddonethat——aftershehadraisedthisdoublewallbetweenthesleepingqueenandtheragingmob——shesankuponherkneeslikeonewhowasutterlycrushed，andraisedherfoldedhandstoheaven。
“Havemercyonhissoul，OGod!takehimgraciouslytoheaven!“
whisperedshe，withtremblinglips。
“Forwhomareyoupraying？“askedthetwowomen，inlowvoices，hurryinguptoher。“Whoisdead？“
“Mr。Varicourt，“answeredCampan，withasigh。“Iheardhisdeath-
cry，asIwasboltingthedooroftheantechamber。Butwecannotstoptoweepandlament。Wemustsavethequeen!“
Andshesprangupfromherknees，flewthroughtheroom，andopenedthedoorleadingtothequeen’schamber。
Atthatmomentafearfulcrashwasheard，thenaloudshoutoftriumphintheouterantechamber。
“Thequeen!Wewanttheheartofthequeen!“
“Theyhavebrokendownthedooroftheantechamber——theyareinthewaiting-room!“whisperedCampan。“Thereisnotimetobelost。Come，friends，come!“
Andshehastenedtothebedofthequeen，whowasstilllyinginthatheavy，unrefreshingsleepwhichusuallyfollowsexhaustionandintenseexcitement。
“Yourmajesty，yourmajesty，wake!“
“Whatisit，Campan？“askedMarieAntoinette，openinghereyes，andhastilysittingupinbed。“Whydoyouwakenme？Whathashappened？“
Thefearfulsoundswithout，thecrashingofthedoorofthelittlewaiting-room，gaveanswer。Therough，hardvoicesoftheexasperatedwomen，separatednowfromthequeenbyonlyonethindoor，quicklytoldallthathadhappened。
MarieAntoinettesprangfromherbed。“Dressmequick，quick!“
“Impossible!Thereisnotime。Onlyhearhowthegunstocksbeatagainstthedoor!Theywillbreakitdown，andthenyourmajestyislost!Theclothesonwithoutstoppingtofastenthem!Nowfly，yourmajesty，fly!Throughtheside-door-throughtheOEildeBoeuf!“
MadamedeCampanwentinadvance；thetwowomensupportedthequeenandcarriedherlooseclothes，andthentheyflewonthroughthestillanddesertedcorridorstothesleeping-roomoftheking。
Itwasempty——noonethere!
“OGod!Campan，whereistheking？Imustgotohim。Myplaceisbyhisside!Whereistheking？“
“HereIam，Marie，here!“criedtheking，whojustthenenteredandsawtheeager，anxiousfaceofhiswife。“Ihurriedtosaveourmostcostlypossessions!“
Helaidthedauphin，onlyhalfawake，andlyingonhisbreast，inthearmswhichMarieAntoinetteextendedtohim，andthenledherlittledaughtertoher，whohadbeenbroughtinbyMadameTourzel。
“Now，“saidtheking，calmly，“nowthatIhavecollectedmydearesttreasures，Iwillgoandseewhatisgoingon。“
ButMarieAntoinetteheldhimback。“Thereisdestruction，treachery，andmurderoutside。Crimemaybreakinhereandoverwhelmus，butweoughtnottogooutandseekit。“
“Well，“saidtheking，“wewillremainhereandawaitwhatcomes。“
Andturningtohisvalet，whowasthenentering，Louiscontinued：
“Bringmemychocolate，Iwanttotakeadvantageofthetimetobreakfast，forIamhungry!“
“Sire，now？shallwebreakfastnow？“askedthequeen，amazed。
“Whynot？“answeredLouiscalmly。“Ifthebodyisstrengthened，welookateverythingmorecomposedlyandconfidently。Youmusttakebreakfasttoo，Marie，forwhoknowswhetherweshallfindtimeforsomehoursafterthis？“
“I!oh，Ineednobreakfast，“criedMarieAntoinette；andasshesawLouiseagerlytakingacupofchocolatefromthehandsofavalet，andwasgoingtoenjoyit，sheturnedawaytorepressthetearsofangerandpainwhichinspiteofherselfpressedintohereyes。
“Mammaqueen，“criedthedauphin，whowasyetinherarms，“Ishouldlikemybreakfasttoo。Mychocolate——Ishouldlikemychocolatetoo!“
Thequeencompelledherselftosmile，carriedthechildtoitsfather，andsoftlysethimdownontheking’sknee。
“Sire，“saidshe，“willtheKingofFranceteachhissontotakebreakfast，whilerevolutionisthunderingwithout，andbreakingdown，withtreasonablehands，thedoorsoftheroyalpalace？Campan，comehere——helpmearrangemytoilet；Iwanttopreparemyselftogiveaudiencetorevolution!“
Andwithdrawingtoacorneroftheroom，thequeenfinishedhertoilet，forwhichherwomenfortunatelyhadintheirflightbroughtthematerials。
Whilethequeenwasdressingandthekingbreakfastingwiththechildren，thecabinetofthekingbegantofill。AllLouis’sfaithfulservants，thentheministersandsomeofthedeputies，hadhurriedtothepalacetobeatthesideofthekingandqueenatthehourofdanger。
Everyoneofthembroughtnewtidingsofhorror。St。Priesttoldhowhe，enteringtheSwissroom，atthedoorleadingintotheantechamberofthequeen，hadseenthebodyofVaricourtcoveredwithwounds。TheDukedeLiancourthadseenadreadfulman，ofgiganticsize，withheavybeard，thearmsofhisblouserolleduphigh，andbearingaheavyhatchet-knifeinhishand，springinguponthepersonofthefaithfulSwiss，inordertoseverhisheadfromhisbody。TheCountdeBorenneshadseenthecorpseoftheSwissofficer，BarondeDeshuttes，whoguardedtheirongate，andwhomthepeoplemurderedastheyentered。TheMarquisdeCroissytoldoftheheroismwithwhichanotherSwiss，MiomandreofSt。Marie，haddefendedthedoorbetweenthesuitesofthekingandqueen，andhadgainedtimetodrawtheboltandbarricadethedoor。Andduringallthesereports，andwhilethecabinetwasfillingmoreandmorewithpalemenandwomen，thekingwentcomposedlyondispatchinghisbreakfast。
Thequeen，whohadlongbeforecompletedhertoilet，nowwentuptohim，andwithgentle，tremulousvoiceconjuredhimtodeclarewhatshouldbedone——tocomeatlastoutofthissilence，andtospeakandactworthyofaking。
Louisshruggedhisshouldersandsetthereplenishedcupwhichhewasjustliftingtohismouth，onthesilverwaiter。AtoncethequeenbeckonedtothevaletHuetocomeup。
“Sir，“saidshe，commandingly，“takethesethingsout。Thekinghasfinishedhisbreakfast。“