Andthusthedayswentbywiththeroyalfamily-monotonous，sad，anddreary。Nogreetingoflove，norayofhopecameinfromtheouterworld，tolightenupthethickwallsoftheoldbuilding。Noonebroughttheprisonersnewsofwhatwastranspiringwithout。Theyweretoowellwatchedforanyoftheirfriendstobeabletocommunicatewiththem。Thiswasthegreatesttrialfortheroyalcaptives。Notamoment，bydayorbynight，whentheeyesofthesentrieswerenotdirectedtowardthem，andtheirmotionsobserved!
Thedoorstotheanteroomswereconstantlyopen，andinthemalwaystherewereofficials，withsearchinglooksandwithseverefaces，watchingtheprisonersintheinnerrooms。Evenduringthenightthistrialdidnotcease，andtheQueenofFrancehadtoundergotheindignityofhavingthedoorofhersleeping-roomconstantlyopen，whiletheofficials，whospentthenightintheirarm-chairsintheanteroom，drank，played，andsmoked，alwayskeepinganeyeonherbed，inordertobesureofherpresence。
Evenwhensheundressedherself，thedoorsofthequeen’sapartmentwerenotclosed；ameresmallscreenstoodatthefootofthebed；
thiswasremovedassoonasthequeenhaddisrobedandlaindown。
Thisdailyrenewedpainandhumiliation——thisbeingwatchedeveryminute——wastheheaviestburdenthattheprisonersoftheTemplehadtobear，andtheproudheartofMarieAntoinetteroseinexasperationeverydayagainsttheserestraints。Sheendeavoredtobepatientandtochokethegriefthatrosewithinher，andyetshemustsometimesgiveexpressiontoitintearsandthreateningwords，whichnowfelllikecoldthunderboltsfromthelipsofthequeen，andnolongerkindledanything，nolongerdashedanythinginpieces。
ThusAugustpassedandSeptemberbegan，sad，gloomy，andhopeless。
Onthemorningofthe3dofSeptember，Manuelcametotheroyalprisoners，totellthemthatPariswasingreatexcitement，andthattheywerenottogointothegardenthatdayasusualaboutnoon，butweretoremainintheirrooms。
“Howisitwithmyfriend，PrincessLamballe？“askedMarieAntoinette。
Manuelwasperplexed；heevenblushedandcastdownhiseyes，asheansweredthatthatmorningtheprincesshadbeentakentotheprisonLaForce。Then，inordertodivertconversationfromthischannel，ManueltoldtheprisonersaboutthetidingswhichhadrecentlyreachedParis，andhadthrownthecityintosuchexcitementandrage。
TheneighboringpowershadmadeanallianceagainstFrance。TheKingofPrussiawasadvancingwithapowerfularmy，andhadalreadyconfrontedtheFrenchforcebeforeChalons，whiletheEmperorofGermanywasmarchingagainstAlsace。MarieAntoinetteforgottheconfusionandperplexitywhichManuelhadexhibited，intheimportanceofthisnews。Shehopedagain；shefoundinherelasticspiritsupportinthesetidings，andbegantothinkofthepossibilityofescape。Itdidnottroubleherthatbeneathherwindowssheheardafuriouscry，asthecrowdsurgeduptotheprisonwalls：“TheheadoftheAustrian!GiveustheheadoftheAustrian!“Shehadsooftenheardthat——ithadbeensolongthedailyrefraintothesorrowfulsongofriotwhichfilledParis——thatithadlostallmeaningforMarieAntoinette。
Nordiditdisturbheratallthatsheheardtheloudbeatingsofdrumsapproachinglikemuffledthunder，thattrumpetswereblown，thatmusketryrattled，andloudwarcriesresoundedinthedistantstreets。
MarieAntoinettepaidnoheedtothis。SheheardconstantlyringingbeforeherearManuel’swords：“TheneighboringnationshavealliedagainstFrance。TheKingofPrussiaisbeforeChalons。TheEmperorofGermanyisadvancinguponStrasburg。““0GodofHeaven，bemercifultous!Granttoourfriendsvictoryoverourenemies。
Releaseusfromthesesufferingsandpains，thatourchildrenmayatleastfindthehappinesswhichforusisburiedforeverinthepast。“
AndyetMarieAntoinettecouldspeaktonooneofherhopesandfears。Shemustbreatheherprayerinherownheartalone，forthemunicipalofficialswerethere，andthetwoservantswhohadbeenforcedupontheprisoners，Tisonandhiswife，thepaidservantsoftheirenemies。
Onlythebravelookandtheclearerbrowtoldthekingofthehopesandwishesofhiswife，butherespondedtothemwithafaintshrugandasadsmile。
Allatonce，aftertheroyalfamilyhadsatdowntotaketheirdinnerattheroundtable——allatoncetherewasastirinthebuildingwhichwasbeforesostill。Terriblecrieswereheard，andstepsadvancingupthestaircase。Thetwoofficials，whoweresittingintheopenanteroom，stoodandlistenedatthedoor。Thiswassuddenlyopened，andathirdofficialentered，pale，tremblingwithrage，andraisinghisclinchedfiststremblinglyagainsttheking。
“TheenemyisinVerdun，“criedhe。“Weshallallbeundone，butyoushallbethefirsttosuffer!“
Thekinglookedquietlyathim；butthedauphin，terrifiedatthelooksoftheangrymanandhisloudvoice，burstintoaviolentfitofweepingandsobbing，andMarieAntoinetteandthelittleTheresastroveinvaintoquietthelittlefellowbygentlewords。
Afourthofficialnowentered，andwhisperedsecretlytohiscolleagues。
“Ismyfamilynolongerinsafetyhere？“askedtheking。
Theofficialshruggedhisshoulders。“ThereporthasgoneabroadthattheroyalfamilyisnolongerintheTemple。Thishasexcitedthepeople，andtheydesirethatyouallshowyourselvesatthewindows，butwewillnotpermitit；youshallnotshowyourselves。
Thepublicmusthavemoreconfidenceinitsservants。“
“Yes，“criedtheotherofficial，stillraisinghisfists——“yes，thatitmust；butiftheenemycome，theroyalfamilyshalldie!“
Andwhenatthesewordsthedauphinbegantocryaloudagain，hecontinued：“Ipitythepoorlittlefellow，butdiehemust!“
Meanwhilethecriesoutsidewerestilllouder，andabusiveepithetsweredistinctlyhearddirectedatthequeen。Afifthofficialthencamein，followedbysomesoldiers，inordertoassurethemselves，inthenameofthepeople，thattheCapetfamilywasstillinthetower。Thisofficialdemanded，inanangryvoice，thattheyshouldgotothewindowandshowthemselvestothepeople。
“No，no，theyshallnotdoit，“criedtheotherfunctionaries。
“Whynot？“askedtheking。“Come，Marie。“
Heextendedhishandtoher，andadvancedwithhertothewindow。
“No，don’tdoit!“criedtheofficial，rushingtothewindow。
“Whynot？“askedtheking，inastonishment。
“Well，“criedtheman，withthreateningfist，“thepeoplewanttoshowyoutheheadofLamballe，thatyoumayseehowthenationtakesvengeanceonitstyrants。“
Atthatsameinstanttherearosebehindthewindow-paneapaleheadencircledwithlong，fairhair，thelividforeheadsprinkledwithblood，theeyeslustrelessandfixed——theheadofPrincessLamballe，whichthepeoplehaddressedbyafriseur，tohoistituponapikeandshowittothequeen。
Thequeenhadseenit；staggeringshefellbackuponachair；shegazedfixedlyatthewindow，evenafterthefearfulphantomhaddisappeared。Herlipswereopen，asifforacrywhichhadbeensilencedbyhorror。Shedidnotweep，shedidnotcomplain，andeventhecaressesofthechildren，thegentleaddressofPrincessElizabeth，andthecomfortingwordsofthekingcouldnotrouseheroutofthisstupefyingofherwholenature。
PrincessLamballehadbeenmurdered，anddeepinhersoulthequeensawthatthiswasonlythepreludetothefearfultragedy，inwhichherfamilywouldsoonbeimplicated。
PoorPrincessLamballe!Shehadbeenkilledbecauseshehadrefusedtorepeattheimprecationsagainstthequeen，whichtheytriedtoextortfromherlips：“Swearthatyoulovelibertyandequality；
swearthatyouhatetheking，thequeen，andeverythingpertainingtoroyalty。“
“Iwillsweartothefirst，“wastheprincess’sanswer，“buttothelastIcannotswear，foritdoesnotlieinmyheart。“
Thiswastheoffenceoftheprincess，thathatedidnotlieinherheart——theoffenceofsomanyotherswhowerekilledonthat3dofSeptember，thatdreadfuldayonwhichthehordesofMarseillesopenedtheprisons，inordertodragtheprisonersbeforethetribunals，ortoexecutethemwithoutfurthersentence。
Thedayspassedby，andtheyhadtobeborne。MarieAntoinettehadregainedhercomposureandherproudcalmness。Shehadtoovercomeeventhisgreatgrief，andtheheartofthequeenhadnotyetbeenbroken。Shestillloved，shestillhoped。Sheowedittoherhusbandandchildrennottodespair，andbetterdaysmightcomeevenyet。
“Wemustkeepupcourage，“shesaid，“tolivetillthedawnofthisbetterday。“
Anditrequiredspirittobearthedailytortureofthislife!
Alwaysexposedtoscornandabuse!Alwayswatchedbytheeyesofmocking，revilingmen!AlwaysscrutinizedbyMadameTison，herservant，whofollowedeveryoneofhermotionsasacatwatchesitsprey，andamongallthesesentinelsthemostobnoxiousofallwasthecobblerSimon。
CommissionedbytheauthoritiestosupervisetheworkmenandmasonswhowereengagedinrestoringthepartiallyruinedancientportionoftheTemple，Simonhadmadehimselfathomewithinthebuilding，todischargehisdutiesmorecomfortably。Itwashispleasuretowatchthishumiliatedroyalfamily，toseethemfalldaybyday，andhearthecursesthataccompaniedthemateverystep。Heneverappearedintheirpresencewithoutinsultingthem，andencouragingwithloudlaughterthosewhoimitatedhiminthis。
Someoftheofficialsinchargeneverspokeexceptingwithdreadfulabuseoftheking，thequeen，andthechildren。
OneofthemcriedtohiscomradeinpresenceofMarieAntoinette：
“Ifthehangmandoesnotguillotinethisaccursedfamily，Iwilldoit!“