“Andyou，general，whatdoyousay？“askedtheking。
“Sire，Ihavetakenthelibertyalreadytosaythatwordsandpromisesareofnomoreavailtoquietthisraving，maddenedpeople，andtomakethembelievethatyouhavenohostiledesignsagainstParis。“
“ButifIgotoParisandresidethereforatime，itisyouropinion，asIunderstandit，thatthepeoplewouldbeconvincedthatIhavenoevilintentionsagainstthecity——thatIshouldnotundertaketodestroythecityinwhichImightlive。Thatisyourmeaning，isitnot？“
“Yes，sire，thatiswhatIwantedtosay。“
“ToParis，toParis!“thunderedupfrombelow。“ThekingshallgotoParis!“
Louiswithdrewfromthewindowandjoinedthecircleofhisministers，who，withtheirpalefaces，surroundedhim。
“Gentlemen，“saidtheking，“youaremycounsellors。Well，givemeyourcounsel。TellmenowwhatIshalldotorestorepeaceandquiet。“
Butnoonereplied。Perplexedandconfusedtheylookeddowntotheground，andonlyNeckerfoundcouragetoanswerthekingafteralongpause。
“Sire，“hesaid，“itisaquestionthatmightbeconsideredfordayswhichyourmajestyhassubmittedtous，andonitsanswerdepends，perhaps，thewholefateofthemonarchy。But，asyouwishtoknowtheopinionsofyourministers，Iwillventuretogivemine：thatitwouldbethesafestandmostexpedientcourseforyourmajestytocomplywiththewishesofthepeople，andgotoParis!“
“Isupposedso，“whisperedtheking，droppinghishead。
“ToParis!“criedthequeen，raisingherhead。“Itisimpossible。
Youcannotbeinearnestinbeingwillingtogoofyourownaccorddownintotheabyssofrevolution，inordertobedestroyedthere!
ToParis!“
“ToParis!“wasthethunderingcryfrombelow，asifthewordsofthequeenhadawakenedafearful，thousand-voicedecho。“ToParis!
ThekingandthequeenshallgotoParis!“
“Andnevercomefromthere!“criedthequeen，with，burstingtears。
“Speak，Lafayette!“criedtheking。“Whatdoyouthink？“
“Sire，Ithinkthatthereisonlyonewaytorestorepeaceandtoquietthepeople，andthatis，foryourmajestytogoto-daywiththeroyalfamilytoParis。“
“Itismyview，too，“saidLouis，calmly。“Thengo，Lafayette，tellthepeoplethatthekingandqueen，togetherwiththedauphinandtheprincess，willjourneytodaytoParis。“
Thesimpleandeasilyspokenwordshadtwoverydifferenteffectsinthecabinetonthosewhoheardthem。Somefaceslightenedupwithjoy，somegrewpalewithalarm；thereweresighsofdespair，andcriesoffreshhope。Everyonefeltthatthiswasacrisisinthefateoftheroyalfamily——somethinkingthatitwouldbringdisaster，othersdeliverance。
Thequeenaloneputonnowagrave，decidedlook；aloftypridelightedupherhighbrow，andwithanalmostjoyfulexpressionshelookedatherhusband，whohadbeeninducedtodosomething——atleast，totakeadecisivestep。
“Thekinghasspoken，“shesaid，amidtheprofoundestsilence，“anditbecomesustoobeythewilloftheking，andtobesubjecttoit。
MadamedeCampan，makeallthepreparationsformydeparture，anddoitinviewofalongstayinParis!“
“Now，Lafayette，“askedtheking，asthegeneralstilldelayedintheroom，“whydoyounothastentoannouncemywilltothepeople？“
“Sire，“answeredLafayette，solemnly，“therearemomentswhenapeoplecanonlybepacifiedbythevoiceeitherofGodorofitsking，andwhereeveryotherhumanvoiceisoverwhelmedbythethunderofthestorm!“
“Andyouthinkthatthisissuchamoment？“askedtheking。“YouthinkthatIoughtmyselftoannouncetothepeoplewhatImeantodo？“
Lafayettebowedandpointedtothewindow，whichshookeventhenwiththethreateningcry，“Theking!Wewillseetheking!HeshallgotoParis!Theking，theking!“
Louislistenedawhileinthoughtfulsilencetothisthunderingshout，whichwasatoncesofullofmajestyandhorror；thenhequicklyraisedhishead。
“Iwillfollowyouradvice，general，“saidhe，calmly。“Iwillannouncemydecisiontothepeople。Givemeyourhand，madame，wewillgointothebalcony-room。Andyou，gentlemen，followme!“
Thequeentookthehandofherhusbandwithoutaword，andgavetheothertothelittledauphin，whotimidlyclungtoher，whileherdaughterTheresequietlyandcomposedlywalkednearthem。
Withoutspeakingaword，andwithhastysteps，theroyalcouple，followedbytheministersandcourtiers，traversedthetwoadjoiningapartments，andenteredthebalcony-room，which，situatedatthecentreofthemainbuilding，commandedawideviewoftheinnercourtandthesquareinfrontofit。
ThevaletHuehastened，atamotionfromtheking，tothrowopenthegreatfoldingdoors，andtheking，partingwithasmilefromMarieAntoinette，steppedoutuponthebalcony。Inaninstant，asifthearmofGodhadbeenextendedandlaiduponthisragingsea，theroaringceased；then，assoonasthekingwasrecognized，amultitudinousshoutwentup，increasingeverymoment，andsendingitswavesbeyondthesquare，outintotheadjoiningstreets。
“Theking!Longlivetheking!“
Louis，palewithemotionandwithtearsinhiseyes，wentforwardtotheveryedgeofthebalcony，and，asasignthathewasgoingtospeak，raisedbothhands。Themotionwasunderstood，andtheloudcrieswerehushedwhichnowandthenburstfromthemightymassofpeople。Thenabovetheheadsofthethousandstherewhogazedbreathlesslyup，soundedtheloud，powerfulvoiceoftheking。
“Iwillgivemydearpeopletheproofthatmyfatherlyheartisdistrustedwithoutreason。Iwilljourneyto-daywiththequeenandmychildrentoParis，andtheretakeupmyresidence。Returnthither，mychildren，IshallfollowyouinafewhoursandcometoParis!“
Then，whilethepeoplewerebreakingoutintoacryofjoy，andwerethrowingarms，caps，andclothesupintotheair，Louissteppedbackfromthebalconyintothehall。
Instantlytherearoseanewcrybelow。“Thequeenshallshowherself!Wewanttoseethequeen!Thequeen!thequeen!thequeen!“
Andintoneslouder，andmorecommanding，andmoreterribleeverymoment，thesummonscameinthroughthebalconydoor。
Thequeentookhertwochildrenbythehandandadvancedasteportwo，butthekingheldherback。
“Donotgo，Marie，“hecried，withtremblingvoiceandanxiouslook。
“No，donotgo。Itissuchafearfulsight，thisragingmassatone’sfeet，itconfusesone’ssenses。Donotgo，Marie!“
Butthecrybelowhadnowexpandedintothevolumeofahurricane，andmadetheverywallsofthepalaceshake。
“Youhearplainly，sire，“criedMarieAntoinette；“thereisjustasmuchdangerwhetherweseeordonotseeit。Letmedo，therefore，whatyouhavedone!Come，children!“
Andwalkingbetweenthetwolittleones，thequeensteppedoutuponthebalconywithafirmstepandraisedhead，followedbytheking，whoplacedhimselfbehindMarieAntoinette，asifhewereasentinelchargedwiththedutyofprotectingherlife。
ButtheappearanceofthewholeroyalfamilydidnotproducetheeffectwhichLouishad，perhaps，anticipated。Thecrowddidnotnowbreakoutintosnoutsofjoy。
Theycriedandroaredandhowled：“Thequeenalone!Nochildren!Wewantnoonebutthequeen!Awaywiththechildren!“
ItwasallinvainthatLouisadvancedtotheedgeoftheplatform；
invainthatheraisedhisarmsasifcommandingsilence。Thesoundofhisvoicewaslostintheroarofthemob，who，withtheirclinchedfists，theirpikesandotherweapons，theirhorridcry，sofrightenedthedauphinthathecouldnotrestrainhistears。
Theroyalfamilydrewbackandenteredtheapartmentagain，wheretheywerereceivedbythepale，trembling，speechless，weepingcourtiersandservants。
Butthemobbelowwerenotpacified。Theyappearedasthoughtheyweredeterminedtogivelawstothekingandqueen，anddemandobediencefromthem。
“Thequeen!wewillseethequeen!“wasthecryagainandagain。
“Thequeenshallshowherself!“
“Well，beitso!“criedMarieAntoinette，withcooldecision，and，pressingthroughthecourtiers，whowantedtorestrainher，andevenimpatientlythrustingbacktheking，whoimploredhernottogo，shesteppedoutuponthebalcony。Alone，withoutanyonetoaccompanyher，andhavingonlytheprotectionwhichthelion-tamerhaswhenheentersthecageofthefiercemonsters——thelookoftheeyeandthecommandingmien!
Andthelionappearedtobesubdued；hisfearfulroarsuddenlyceased，andinastonishmentallthesethousandsgazedupatthequeen，thedaughteroftheCaesars，standingaboveinproudcomposure，herarmsfoldeduponherbreast，andlookingdownwithsteadyeyeintotheyawningandragingabyss。
Thepeople，overcomebythisroyalcomposure，brokeintoloudshoutsofapplause，and，duringthecontinuanceofthesethousand-voicedbravos，thequeen，withaproudsmileuponherlips，steppedbackfromthebalconyintothechamber。