Immensemassesofhowling，shriekingpeoplerolledup，ontheafternoonofthe20thofJune，totheTuileries，wherenoarrangementshadbeenmadefordefence，themainentrancesnotevenbeingprotectedthatdaybytheNationalGuard。
Thekinggaveorders，therefore，thatthegreatdoorsshouldbeopened，andthepeopleallowedtopassinunhindered。
Inaquarterofanhourallthestaircases，corridors，andhallswerefilledbyahowling，roaringcrowd；theroomofthekingalonewaslocked，andinthisapartmentweretheroyalfamilyandafewfaithfulfriends——theking，blandandcalmasever；thequeen，pale，firm，uncomplaining；MadameElizabeth，withfoldedhands，praying；
thetwochildrendrawingcloselytogether，softlyweeping，andyetsuppressingtheirsobs，becausethequeenhad，inawhisper，commandedthemtokeepstill。
Alittlecompanyoffaithfulservantsfilledthebackgroundoftheroom，andlistenedwithsuspendedbreathtotheaxe-strokeswithwhichthesavagecrowdbrokedownthedoors，andheardtheapproachingcriesofthemultitude。
AtlastadivisionoftheNationalGuardreachedthepalace，toolatetodrivethepeopleout，butperhapsinseasontoprotecttheroyalfamily。ThedooroftheroyalapartmentwasopenedtothesecondofficeroftheNationalGuard，M。Acloque。Heburstin，andkneelingbeforetheking，conjuredhim，withtearsinhiseyes，toshowhimselftothepeople，andbyhispresencetocalmthesavagemultitude。
Bythistimethetwochildrenwerenolongerabletocontroltheirfeelingsandsuppresstheirfear。Thedauphinburstintotearsandloudcries；heclungaffrightedtothedressofhismother；heimploredherwiththemostmovingtonestotakehimaway，andgowithhimtohisroom。MarieAntoinettestoopeddowntothepoorlittlefellow，andpressedhimandTheresa，whowasweepingcalmly，toherheart，whisperingafewquietingwordsintotheirears。
Whilethemotherwascomfortingherchildren，Louis，yieldingtoAcloque’sentreaties，hadlefttheroom，inordertoshowhimselftothepeople。MadameElizabeth，hissister，followedhimthroughthecorridorintothegreathall，passingthroughtheseethingcrowd，whichsoonseparatedherfromtheking。Pushedaboutonallsides，MadameElizabethcouldnotfollow，andwasnowaloneinthethrong，accompaniedonlybyherequerry，M。Saint-Pardoux。Armedmenpressedupagainsttheprincess，andhorridcriessurgedaroundher。
“ThereistheAustrianwoman!“andatonceallpikes，allweaponsweredirectedagainsttheprincess。
“ForGod’ssake!“criedM。deSaintPardoux，“whatdoyouwanttodo？Thisisnotthequeen!“
“Whydoyouundeceivethem？“askedMadameElizabeth，“theirerrormightsavethequeen!“
Andwhilesheputbackoneofthebayonetsdirectedagainstherbreast，shesaid，gently：“Takecare，sir，youmightwoundsomebody，andIamconvincedthatyouwouldbesorry。“
Thepeoplewereamazedatthis，andrespectfullymadewayforhertocomeupwiththeking。Hestoodinthemiddleofthehall，surroundedbyacrowdthreateninghimwithwildcurses。Oneofthesedesperadoespressedcloseuptotheking，whiletheotherswereshoutingthattheymuststranglethewholeroyalfamily，and，pullingabottleandaglassoutofhispocket，hefilledthelatter，gaveittotheking，andorderedhimtodrinktothewelfareofthenation。
Thekingquietlytooktheglass。“ThenationmustknowthatIloveit，“saidhe，“forIhavemademanysacrificesforit。FromthebottomofmyheartIdrinktoitswelfare，“and，inspiteofthewarningcriesofhisfriends，heputtheglasstohislipsandemptiedit。
Thecrowdwasbesideitselfwithdelight，andtheircrieswereansweredfromwithoutbythedemandofthebloodthirstyrabble——“Howsoonareyougoingtothrowouttheheadsofthekingandthequeen？“
MarieAntoinettehadmeanwhilesucceededinpacifyingthedauphin。
Sheraisedherselfup，andwhenshesawthatthekinghadgoneout，shestartedtowardthedoor。
Herfaithfulfriendsstoppedtheway；theyremindedherthatshewasnotsimplyaqueen，thatshewasamother，too。Theyconjuredherwithtearstogiveeartoprudence——nottorushinvainintodanger，andimperilthekingstillmore。
“Nooneshallhindermefromdoingwhatismyduty，“criedthequeen。“Leavethedoorwayfree。“
Butherfriendswouldnotyield；theydefiedeventhewrathofthequeen。Atthatmoment，someoftheNationalGuardscameinthroughanotherdoor，andpacifiedMarieAntoinette，assuringherthatthelifeofthekingwasnotthreatened。
Inthemeanwhiletheshoutingcamenearerandnearer，thecriesresoundedfromtheguard-room，thedoorsweretornopen，andthepeoplesurgedin，inimmensewaves，likethesealashedintofurybythestorm。TheNationalGuardsrolledatablebeforethequeenandherchildren，andplacedthemselvesatthetwosidestodefendthem。
Onlyabitofwoodnowseparatedthequeenfromherenemies，whobrandishedtheirweaponsather。ButMarieAntoinettehadnowregainedherwholecomposure。Shestooderect；atherrighthand，herdaughter，whonestleduptohermother——atherleft，thedauphin，who，withwide-openeyesandlooksofastonishment，gazedatthepeopleburstingin。BehindthequeenwerePrincessesLamballeandTarente，andMadameTourzel。
Aman，withdishevelledhairandbarebosom，gavethequeenahandfulofrods，bearingtheinscription，“ForMarieAntoinette!“
Anothershowedheraguillotine，athirdagallows，withtheinscription，“Tremble，tyrant!thyhourhascome!“Anotherheldupbeforeher，onthepointofapike，ahumanheartdrippingwithblood，andcried：“Thusshalltheyallbleed——theheartsoftyrantsandaristocrats!“
Thequeendidnotlethereyesfall，herfixedlookrestedupontheshriekingandhowlingmultitude；butwhenthisman，withthebleedingheart，approachedher，hereyelidstrembled——adeathlypalenessspreadoverhercheeks，forsherecognizedhim——Simonthecobbler——andafearfulpresentimenttoldherthatthisman，whohadalwaysbeenforhertheincarnationofhatred，isnow，whenherlifeisthreatened，tobethesourceofherchiefperil。
Fromthedistancesurgedinthecries：“LongliveSanterre!LonglivetheFaubourgSaintAntoine!Longlivethesans-culottes!“
Andattheheadofacrowdofhalf-nakedfellows，thebrewerSanterre，arrayedinthefantasticcostumeofarobberoftheAbruzzoMountains，withadaggerandpistolinhisgirdle，dashedintotheroom，hisbroad-brimmedhat，withthreeredplumes，aslantuponhisbrownhair，thatstreameddownonbothsidesofhissavagecountenance，likethemaneofalion。
Thequeenliftedthedauphinup，sethimuponthetable，andwhisperedsoftlytohim，hemustnotcry，hemustnotgrieve，andthechildsmiledandkissedhismother’shands。Justthenadrunkenwomanrusheduptothetable，threwaredcapdownuponit，andorderedthequeen，onpainofdeath，toputiton。
MarieAntoinettethrewbothherarmsaroundthedauphin，kissedhisauburnhair，andturnedcalmlytoGeneraldeWittgenhofen，whostoodnearher。
“Putthecapuponme，“saidshe，andthewomenhowledwithpleasure，whilethegeneral，palewithrageandtremblingwithgrief，obeyedthequeen’scommand，andputtheredcapuponthathairwhichtroublehadalreadyturnedgrayinanight。
But，afteraminute，GeneralWittgenhofentooktheredcapfromtheheadofthequeen，andlaiditonthetable。
Fromallsidesresoundedthusthecommandingcry：“Theredcapforthedauphin!Thetri-colorforLittleVeto!“Andthewomentoretheirthree-coloredribbonsfromtheircapsandthrewthemuponthetable。
“Ifyoulovethenation，“criedthewomentothequeen，“puttheredcaponyourson。“
ThequeenmotionedtoMadameTourzel，whoputtheredcaponthedauphin，anddeckedhisneckandarmswiththeribbons。Thechilddidnotunderstandwhetheritwasajokeorawayofinsultinghim，andlookedonwithasmileofastonishment。
Santerreleanedoverthetableandlookedcomplacentlyatthesingulargroup。Theproudandyetgentlefaceofthequeenwassonearhim，thatwhenhesawthesweat-dropsrollingdownfrombeneaththewoollencapoverthedauphin’sforehead，evenhefeltatouchofpity，and，straighteninghimselfup，perhapstoescapetheeyeofthequeen，hecalledout，roughly：“Takethatcapofffromthatchild；don’tyouseehowhesweats？“
Thequeenthankedhimwithamuteglance，andtookthecapherselffromtheheadofthepoorchild。
Atthispointahordeofhowlingwomenpresseduptothetable，andthreatenedthequeenwiththeirfists，andhurledwildcursesather。
“OnlyseehowproudlyandscornfullythisAustrianlooksatus!“
criedayoungwoman，whostoodinthefrontrank。“Shewouldliketoblastuswithhereyes，forshehatesus。“
MarieAntoinetteturnedkindlytothem：“WhyshouldIhateyou？“sheasked，ingentletones。“Itisyouthathateme——you。HaveIeverdoneyouanyharm？“
“Nottome，“answeredtheyoungwoman，“nottome，buttothenation。“
“Poorchild!“answeredthequeen，gently，“theyhavetoldyouso，andyouhavebelievedit。Whatadvantagewoulditbringtometoharmthenation？YoucallmetheAustrian，butIamthewifeoftheKingofFrance，themotherofthedauphin。IamFrenchwithallmyfeelingsofwifeandmother。IshallneverseeagainthelandinwhichIwasborn，andonlyinFrancecanIbehappyorunhappy。Andwhenyoulovedme，Iwashappythere。“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords——SeeBeauchesne，vol。i。，p。106。]
Shesaidthiswithquiveringvoiceandmovingtones，thetearsfillinghereyes；andwhileshewasspeakingthenoisewashushed，andeventhesesavagecreaturesweretransformedintogentle，sympatheticwomen。
Tearscametotheeyesoftheyoungwomanwhobeforehadspokensosavagelytothequeen。“Forgiveme，“shesaid，weeping，“Ididnotknowyou；nowIseethatyouarenotbad。“