“Thismanmustbefilledwithasingularfanaticism，“saidColombeau，oneoftheleadingofficials，inthereportwhichhegavetotheConventionoftheride。“ItisotherwiseinexplicablehowLouiscouldbesocalm，sincehehadsomuchreasontofear。Afterwehadallenteredthecarriage，andweredrivingthroughthestreets，Louisentereduponconversation，whichsoonturneduponliterature，andespeciallyuponsomeLatinauthors。Hegavehisjudgmentswithremarkablecorrectnessandinsight，anditappearedtomethathetookpleasureinshowinghislearning。OneofussaidthathedidnotenjoySeneca，becausehisloveforrichesstoodinmarkedcontrastwithhispretendedphilosophy，andbecauseitcouldnoteasilybeforgivenhimthatbeforethesenateheapologizedforthecrimesofNero。ThisreflectiondidnotseemtoaffectLouisintheleast。WhenwespokeofLivy，Capetsaidthatheseemedtohavetakensatisfactionincomposinggreatspeecheswhichwereneverutteredtoanyotheraudiencethanthatwhichwasreachedfromhisstudy-table；’for，’headded，’itisimpossiblethatgeneralsreallydeliveredsuchlongspeechesinfrontoftheirarmies。’HethencomparedLivywithTacitus，andthoughtthatthelatterwasfarsuperiortotheformerinpointofstyle。“[Footnote：SeeBeauchesne，vol。i。，p。396。]ThekingwentontalkingaboutLatinauthorswhilethecarriagewascarryinghimthroughtheroaringmobtotheConvention，whichDesegeaddressedinhisdefenceinthesecourageouswords：“Ilookforjudgesamongyou，butseeonlyaccusers。“
Thekingwascompletelycalm，yetheknewthathislifewasthreatened，andthathewasstandingbeforeatribunalofdeath。AsonthedaywhenhewasfirsttakentotheConvention，herequestedMalesherbestoforwardanotetothepriestwhoseattendancehedesired，andwhohebelievedwouldnotdenyhispresenceandattentions。HisnamewasEdgewarthdePirmont。Thetimewasnotdistantwhennottheservicesofadvocateswerewantedbytheking，butexclusivelythoseofthepriest。
ThesentenceofdeathwaspronouncedonJanuary26，1793。Louisreceiveditcalmly，anddesiredmerelytoseehisfamily，tohaveaconfessorcometohim，andtopreparehimselfforhisdeath。
DuringthesedreadfulweeksMarieAntoinettewasseparatedfromherhusband，alonewithherchildren，whonolongerwereabletosmile，butwhosatdayafterdaywithfixedeyesandsilentlips。Thequeenknewthatthekinghadbeenaccused，hadmadeaprivatereplytothechargesbroughtagainsthim，andhadbeenbroughtbeforetheConvention。Butnotaword，notasyllableofthetrialwhichfollowed，reachedher。MadameTison，thefemaledragonwhoguardedher，watchedhertoowellforanytidingstoreachher。
Atlast，however，thewordwasbroughtwhichtheheartofthequeenhadsolonganticipatedtremblingly，forwhichshehadpreparedherselfduringthelongnightswithtearsandprayers，andwhichnowfilledherwithgrief，anger，anddespair。Thekingwascondemnedtodeath!Hewantedonlytoseehisfamily，totakehisleaveofthem!
TheConventionhadgrantedthisprivilegetohim，andhadevengonesofarinitsgraceastopermitthefamilytobewithoutthepresenceofwitnesses。Themeetingwasappointed，however，inthelittledining-roomoftheking，becauseaglassdoorledintotheadjoiningroom，andtheofficialscouldthenlookinupontheroyalfamily。Thefunctionaryhadwithdrawninordertoconductthequeen，thechildren，andtheking’ssisterfromtheuppertower。Thekingwasawaitingthem，walkeddisquietlyupanddown，andthendirectedClery，whowasarrangingthelittleroom，tosettheroundtable，whichwasinthemiddleoftheapartment，ononeside，andthentobringinacarafeofwaterandsomeglasses。“But，“headded，considerately，“notice-water，forthequeencannotbearit，andshemightbemadeunwellbyit。“
Butallatoncethekinggrewpale，and，standingstill，helaidhishanduponhisloudly-beatingheart。Hehadheardthevoiceofthequeen。
Thedooropenedandtheycamein——allhisdearones。Thequeenledthedauphinbythehand；MadameElizabethwalkedwiththePrincessTheresa。
Thekingwenttowardthemandopenedhisarmstothem。Theyallpresseduptohimandclaspedhimintheirmidst，whileloudsobsandheart-rendingcriesfilledtheroom。Behindthedoorweretheofficials，buttheycouldnotlookinuponthescene，fortheirowneyeswerefilledwithtears。Intheking’scabinet，notfaraway，theAbbeEdgewarthdeFirmontwasuponhisknees，prayingfortheunfortunateswhosewailsandgroansreachedevenhim。
Graduallythesobsdiedaway。Theytooktheirplaces——thequeenattheleftofherhusband；MadameElizabeth，hissister，athisright；
oppositetohim，hisdaughter，MariaTheresa，andbetweenhiskneesthedauphin，lookingupintohisfather’sfacewithwidely-openedeyesandasadsmile。
Louiswasthefirsttospeak。Hetoldthemofhistrial，andofthechargeswhichtheyhadbroughtagainsthim。Buthiswordsweregentleandcalm，andheexpressedhispityforthe“poor，misledmen“whohadcondemnedhim。Heaskedhisfamily，too，toforgivethem。Theyansweredhimonlywithsobs，embraces，tears，andkisses。
Thenallwasstill。Theofficialsheardnotaword，buttheysawthequeen，withherchildrenandsister-in-law，sinkupontheirknees，whiletheking，standingerectinthemidstofthegroup，raisedhishandsandblessedthemingentle，noblewords，whichtouchedtheheartoftheAbbeEdgewarth，whowaskneelingbehindthedooroftheneighboringcabinet。
Thekingthenbadethefamilyrise，tookthemagaininhisarms，andkissedthequeen，who，paleandtrembling，clungtohim，andwhosequiveringlipswerenotabletorestrainawordofdenunciationofthosewhohadcondemnedhim。
“Ihaveforgiventhem，“saidtheking，seriously。“Ihavewrittenmywill，andinityouwillreadthatIpardonthem，andthatIaskyoutodothesame。Promiseme，Marie，thatyouwillneverthinkhowyoumayavengemydeath。“
Asmilefullofsadnessanddespairflittedoverthepalelipsofthequeen。
“Ishallneverbeinasituationtotakevengeanceuponthem，“shesaid。“But，“sheaddedquickly，“evenifIshouldeverbeable，andthepowershouldbeinmyhands，IpromisethatIwillexactnovengeanceforthisdeed。“
Thekingstoopeddownandimprintedakissuponherforehead。
“Ithankyou，Marie，andIknowthatyouall，mydearones，willsacredlyregardmylasttestament，andthatmywishesandwordswillbeengravenonyourhearts。But，myson“——andhetookthedauphinuponhisknee，andlookeddownintohisfacetenderly——“youarestillachild，andmightforget。YouhaveheardwhatIhavesaid，butasanoathismoresacredthanaword，raiseyourhandandsweartomeyouwillfulfilmywishandforgiveallourenemies。“
Theboy，turninghisgreatblueeyesfixedlyontheking，andhislipstremblingwithemotion，raisedhisrighthand，andeventheofficialsinthenextroomcoulddistinctlyhearthesweetchild’svoicerepeatingthewords：“Isweartoyou，papaking，thatIwillforgiveallourenemies，andwilldonoharmtothosewhoaregoingtokillmydearfather!“
Ashudderpassedthroughtheheartsofthemeninthenextroom；
theydrewbackfromthedoorwithpalefaces。Itseemedtothemasiftheyhadheardthevoiceofanangel，andafeelingofinexpressiblepainandregretpassedthroughtheirsouls。
Withintheking’sroomallnowwasstill，andtheabbeinthecabinetheardonlythegentlemurmuringoftheirprayers，andthesuppressedweepingandsobs。
Atlastthekingspoke。“Now，go，mydearones。Imustbealone。I
needtorestandcollectmyself。“
Aloudwailwastheanswer。Aftersomeminutes，Cleryopenedtheglassdoor，andtheroyalfamilywerebroughtintotheviewoftheofficialsoncemore。ThequeenwasclingingtotherightarmofLouis；theyeachgaveahandtothedauphin。Theresahadflungherarmsaroundtheking’sbody，hissisterElizabethclungtohisleftarm。Theythusmovedforwardafewstepstowardthedoor，amidloudcriesofgriefandheart-breakingsobs。
“Ipromiseyou，“saidLouis，“toseeyouoncemoretomorrowmorning，ateighto’clock。“
“Ateight!Whynotatseven？“askedthequeen，withaforebodingtone。
“Well，then，“answeredtheking，gently，“atseven。Farewell，farewell!“
Thedepthofsadnessinhisutterancewithwhichhespokethelastpartingword，doubledthetearsandsobsoftheweepingfamily。Thedaughterfellinaswoonatthefeetofherfather，andClery，assistedbythePrincessElizabeth，raisedherup。
“Papa，mydearpapa，“criedthedauphin，nestlingupcloselytohisfather，“letusstaywithyou。“
Thequeensaidnotaword。Withpalefaceandwithwidely-openedeyesshelookedfixedlyattheking，asthoughshewantedtoimpresshiscountenanceonherheart。
“Farewell，farewell!“criedtheking，oncemore，andheturnedquicklyaroundandhurriedintothenextroom。
Asinglecryofgriefandhorrorissuedfromalllips。Thetwochildren，soontobeorphans，thenclungcloselytotheirmother，whothrewherself，overmasteredbyhersobbing，ontheneckofhersister-in-law。
“Forward!TheCapetfamilywillreturntotheirownapartments!“
criedoneoftheofficials。
MarieAntoinetteraisedherselfup，hereyeflashed，andwithavoicefullofanger，shecried：“Youarehangmenandtraitors!“
[Footnote：Beauchesne，vol。1。，p。49。]
Thekinghadwithdrawntohiscabinet，wherethepriest，AbbeEdgewarthdeFirmont，addressedhimwithcomfortingwords。Hisearnestrequesthadbeengranted，togivethekingthesacramentbeforehisdeath。Theservicewastotakeplaceveryearlythenextmorning，soranthedecisionoftheauthorities，andatseventhekingwastobetakentoexecution。
Louisreceivedthefirstpartofthiscommunicationjoyfully，thesecondpartwithcompletecalmness。
“AsImustrisesoearly，“hesaidtohisvaletClery，“Imustretireearly。Thisdayhasbeenaverytryingoneforme，andIneedrest，soasnottobeweakto-morrow。“Hewasthenundressedbytheservant，andlaydown。WhenClerycameatfivethenextmorningtodresshim，hefoundthekingstillasleep，andtheymusthavebeenpleasantdreamswhichwerepassingbeforehim，forasmilewasplayingonhislips。