Shelostheraccustomedspirit，weptmuch，andexhibitedagreatdealoffeeling。Yetshestillstoodguardovertheshatteredthronelikearesolutesentinel，andlookedaroundwithsharpandsearchingglances，tokeepaneyeontheenemy，andtobereadyforhisnearerapproach。
ShestillcontinuedtoreceivenewsabouteverythingthattranspiredinParis，everythingthatwasresolveduponintheNationalAssemblyanddiscussedintheclubs，andhadthelibelsandpamphletswhichweredirectedatherallsenttoher。MarieAntoinetteunderstoodtheconditionofthecapitalandthefeelingofthepeoplebetterthandidthekingwhooftensatforhours，andattimeswholedays，silentandunoccupiedbettereventhandidtheministers。Shereceivedeverymorningthereportsoftheemissaries，followedtheintriguesoftheconspirators，andwasacquaintedwiththesecretassemblieswhichMaratcalledtogether，andthealliancesoftheclubs。Sheknewaboutthecallingtogetheroftheforty-eightsectionsoftheParis“fraternity“inonegeneralconvention。SheknewthatPotion，Danton，andManuel，threeravingrepublicans，wereatthehead，andthattheiremissarieswereempoweredtostirupthesuburbsofthecity。Sheknew，too，thatthemonstersfromMarseilles，whohadbeenactiveonthe20thofJune，wereboastingthattheyweregoingtorepeatthedeedsofthatdayonagreaterscale。
NorwasitunknowntoherthatmorethanhalfthedeputiesintheNationalAssemblybelongedtotheJacobinparty，andthattheywerelookingforanopportunitytostrikeafreshblowatroyalty。Veryoften，whenatdeadofnightMarieAntoinetteheardthenoisychorusoftheriotersfromMarseillessingingbeneathherwindows，“Allons，enfantsdelapatrie，“ortheParisianschantingthe“Qaira，faira!“shesprangfromherbedshenowneverdisrobedherselfonretiring，hurriedtothebedsofherchildrentoseethattheywerenotindanger，orcalledhermaidsandcommandedthemtolightthecandles，thattheymightatleastseethedangerwhichthreatened。
Atlast，onthenightofthe9thofAugust，thelong-fearedterrorarrived。
AgunfiredinthecourtoftheTuileriesannounceditsadvent。
MarieAntoinettesprangfromherbed，andsentherwaiting-maidtothekingtowakenhim。Thekinghadalreadyrisen；hisministersandafewtriedfriendswerenowwithhim。Thequeenwakenedherchildren，andassistedindressingthem。Shethenwentwiththelittleonestotheking，whoreceivedthemwithanaffectionategreeting。Atlengthablastoftrumpetsannouncedthatthemovementhadbecomegeneral；thethunderofcannonandthepealsofbellsawakenedthesleepingcity。
Theroyalfamily，crowdedclosetogether，silentlyawaitedthestalkingoftherepublicintothehallsoftheking’spalace，orthesavingofthemonarchybythegraceofGodandthebraveryoftheirfaithfulfriends。Foreventhenmonarchyhadthosewhoweretruetoit；andwhilethetrumpet-blastscontinuedandthebellstoring，toawakenrepublicanstothestruggle，thesoundswereatthesametimethebattle-cryoftheroyalists，andtoldthem，thatthekingwasindangerandneededtheirhelp。
AbouttwohundrednoblemenhadremainedinParis，andhadnotfollowedtheroyalprincestoCoblentztotakearmsagainsttheirowncountry。TheyhadremainedinParis，inordertodefendthemonarchytothelastdropoftheirblood，andatleasttobenearthethrone，iftheywerenotabletoholdituplonger。Inordernottobesuspected，theycarriednoarms，andyetitwasknownthatbeneaththesilkvestofthecavaliertheyconcealedthedaggerofthesoldier，andtheyreceivedinconsequencetheappellationof“ChevaliersoftheDagger。“
Atthefirstnotesofthetrumpetthenobilityhadhurriedonthenightofthe10thofAugusttotheTuileries，whichwerealreadyfilledwithgrenadiers，Swissguards，andvolunteersofeveryrank，whohadhastenedthithertoprotecttheroyalfamily。Allthestaircases，allthecorridorsandrooms，wereoccupiedbythem。
The“ChevaliersoftheDagger“marchedinsolemnprocessionbythemalltothegrandreception-room，whereweretheking，thequeen，andthechildren。Withrespectfulmientheyapproachedtheroyalpair，imploringtheking’spermissiontodieforhim，andbeseechingthequeentotouchtheirweapons，inordertomakethemvictorious，andtoallowthemtokisstheroyalhand，inordertosweetendeathforthem。Therewerecriesofenthusiasmandloyaltyonallsides，“Longlivethekingofourfathers!“criedtheyoungpeople。“Longlivethekingofourchildren!“criedtheoldmen，takingthedauphinintheirarmsandraisinghimabovetheirheads，asifhewerethelivingbannerinwhosedefencetheywishedtodie。
Asthemorningdawned，theking，atthepressingrequestofhiswife，walkedwithherandthechildrenthroughthehallsandgalleriesofthepalace，toreanimatethecourageoftheirdefenderswhowereassembledthere，andtothankthemfortheirfidelity。
Everywheretheroyalfamilywasreceivedwithenthusiasm，everywhereoathsofloyaltytodeathresoundedthroughtherooms。Thekingthenwent，accompaniedbyafewfaithfulfriends，downintothepark，toreviewthebattalionsoftheNationalGuardwhowerestationedthere。
WhenLouisappeared，thecry，“Longlivetheking!“begantolosetheunanimitywhichhadcharacterizeditinthepalace。Itwassuppressedandoverbornebyahostilemurmur，andthefartherthekingadvanced，theloudergrewthesemutterings；tillatlast，fromhundredsandhundredsofthroats，thethunderingcryresounded，“Abdicationordeath!LonglivePetion!Resignationordeath!“
Thekingturnedhastilyaround，and，withpalefaceandforeheadcoveredwithdropsofcoldsweat，hereturnedtothepalace。
“Allislost!“criedthequeen，bitterly，“Nothingmoreremainsforusthantodieworthily。“
Butsoonsheraisedherselfupagain，andnewcourageanimatedhersoul，whenshesawthatnewdefenderswereconstantlypressingintothehall，andthatevenmanygrenadiersoftheNationalGuardmingledintheranksofthenobility。
Butthesenoblemen，these“ChevaliersoftheDagger，“excitedmistrust，andamajoroftheNationalGuarddemandedtheirremovalwithaloudvoice。
“No，“criedthequeen，eagerly，“thesenoblemenareourbestfriends。Placethembeforethemouthofthecannon，andtheywillshowyouhowdeathforone’skingismet。Donotdisturbyourselvesaboutthesebravepeople，“
Shecontinued，turningtosomegrenadierswhowereapproachingher，“yourinterestsandtheirsarecommon。
Everythingthatisdearesttoyouandthem-wives，children，property-dependsuponyourcourageandyourcommonbravery。“
Thegrenadiersextendedtheirhandstothechevaliers，andmutualoathswereexchangedtodiefortheroyalfamily，tosavethethroneortoperishwithit。Itwasagrandandsolemnmoment，fullofloftyeloquence!Theheartsofthesenoblemenandthesewarriorslongedimpatientlyfordeath。Withtheirhandslaidupontheirweapons，theyawaiteditscoming。
Thepopulacerolledupingreatmassestothepalace。“Wildshriekswereheard，thethunderofcannon，theharshcriesofwomen，andtheyellsofmen。Withinthepalacetheylistenedwithsuspendedbreath。
Thequeenstraightenedherselfup，graspedwithaquickmovementthehandsofherchildren，drewthemtoherself，and，withheadbentforwardandwithbreathlessexpectation，gazedatthedoor，likealionessawaitingherenemy，andmakingherselfreadytodefendheryoungwithherownlife。
Thedoorwassuddenlyopened，andtheattorney-generalRodererburstin。
“Sire，“criedhe，withimpassionedutterance，“youmustsaveyourself!Alloppositionisvain。OnlythesmallestpartoftheNationalGuardisstilltobetrusted，andeventhispartonlywaitsthefirstpretexttofraternizewiththepopulace。Thecannoneershavealreadywithdrawntheloadingfromthecannon，becausetheyareunwillingtofireuponthepeople。Thekinghasnotimetolose。
Sire，thereisprotectionforyouonlyintheNationalAssembly，andonlytherepresentativesofthepeoplecannowprotecttheroyalfamily。“
Thequeenutteredacryofangerandhorror。“How!“shecried。“Whatdoyousay？Weseekprotectionwithourworstenemies？Never，oh，never!RatherwillIbenailedtothesewalls，thanleavethepalacetogototheNationalAssembly!“[Footnote：Thequeen’sownwords——
SeeBeauchesne，vol。i。，p。90。]
Andturningtotheking，whostoodsilentandundecided，shespoketohimwithflamingwords，withglowingeloquence，addressedhimasthefatherofthedauphin，thesuccessorofHenryIV。andLouisXIV。，soughttoanimatehisambitionandtouchhisheart，andtriedforthelasttimetokindlehimwithhercourageandherdecision。
Invain，allinvain。Thekingremainedsilentandundecided。Acry，onesinglecryofgrief，burstfromthelipsofthequeen，andonemomentherheadsankuponherbreast。
“Hasten，hasten，sire!“criedRoderer，“everymomentincreasestheperil。Inaquarterofanhourperhapsthequeenandthechildrenwillbelostbeyondremedy!“
Thesewordsawakenedthekingfromhisreverie。Helookedupandnoddedhishead。“Wecandonothingelse，“hesaid。“LetusgoatoncetotheNationalAssembly。“
“Sir，“criedthequeen，turningtoRoderer，“isittruethatwearedesertedbyall？“
“Madame，“answeredtheattorney-general，sadly，“alloppositionisinvain，itwillonlyincreasethedanger。Wouldyousufferyourself，theking，yourchildren，andfriends，tobekilled？“
“Godforbidit!WouldthatIalonecouldbetheoffering!“
“Anotherminute，“urgedRoderer，“perhapsanothersecond，anditisimpossibletoguaranteeyourlife，andperhapsthatofyourhusbandandchildren。“
“Mychildren!“criedthequeen，throwingherarmsaroundthem，anddrawingthemtoherbreast。“No，ohno，Iwillnotgivethemovertotheknife!“
Onesigh，onelastsob，burstfromherlips，andthenshereleasedherselffromthechildren，andapproachedthekingandhisministers。
“Thisisthelastsacrifice，“shesaid，heavily，“thatIcanoffer。
Isubmitmyself，M。Roderer，“andthenwithloudertones，asifshewantedtocallallpresenttobewitnesses，shecontinued，“willyoupledgeyourselfforthepersonoftheking，andforthatofmyson？“