Shehadneverseenherroyalhusbandbearinghimselfinsodecidedandconfidentamanner，anditalmostawakenednewconfidenceinhertroubledbreast。Butatthesamemomentallthedoubtsandcaresreturned，andsadly，withdroopinghead，thequeenwithdrew。
Inthemeantime，closeupontheopeningoftheNationalAssemblythatmorning，stormydebateshadbegunaboutthenewstepswhichtheyweregoingtotakewiththemonarch。
CountMirabeauhadjustbeenbreakingoutintoananathemainflamingwordsabouttheholidaywhichthekinghadgiventothenewregiments，whentheDukedeLiancourt，whothatmomententeredthehall，advancedtothespeaker’sdeskandannouncedthatthekingwasjustonthepointofcomingtotheAssembly。Thegreatestamazement，followedimmediatelybyintensedisquiet，wasexpressedonallsidesathearingthis。Mensprangupfromtheirplacesandformedscatteredgroupstotalkoverthisunexpectedcircumstanceandcometoanunderstandinginadvance。Theyspokeinloud，angrywordsaboutthereceptionwhichshouldbegiventothekingintheNationalAssembly，whenMirabeauspranguponthetribune，and，withhisvoicetoweringaboveeveryothersound，criedthat“meresilentrespectshouldbetheonlyreceptionthatwegivetothemonarch。Inamomentofuniversalgrief，silenceisthetruelessonofkings。“
[Footnote：Mirabeau’sownwords——See“MemoiresduComtedeMirabeau，“vol。ii。，p。301。]
Aresoundingbravoaccompaniedthesewords，whichappearedtoproducethedeepestimpressionuponallpartiesintheAssembly。
Beforetheroomwassilent，theking，accompaniedbyhisbrothers，butwithnootherretinuebesides，enteredthehall。Notwithstandingalltheplansandeffortswhichhadbeenmade，hisappearanceatthismomentwroughtsopowerfullythat，assoonastheysawhim，thecry“Longlivetheking!“wastakenupandrepeatedsooftenastomakethearchedceilingring。
ThekingstoodinthemidstoftheAssembly，bearinghimselfmodestlyandwithuncoveredhead。Hedidnotmakeuseofanarm-
chairwhichwasplacedforhim，butremainedstanding，as，withoutanyceremony，hebegantoaddresstheAssemblywithtrulypatriarchaldignity。Whenattheveryoutsethesaidthatasthechiefofthenation，ashecalledhimself，hehadcomewithconfidencetomeetthenation’srepresentatives，totestifyhisgriefforwhathadhappened，andtoconsultthemrespectingthere-
establishingofpeaceandorder，apacifiedexpressionappeareduponalmostallfaces。
Withgentleandalmosthumblebearingthekingthenentereduponthesuspicionsthathadbeenbreathed，thatthepersonsofthedeputieswerenotsafe。Withthetoneofanhonestburgherhereferredtohisown“well-knowncharacter，“whichmadeitsuperfluousforhimtodismisssuchasuspicion。“Ah!“hecried，“itisIwhohavetrustedmyselftoyou!Helpmeinthesepainfulcircumstancestostrengthenthewelfareofthestate。IexpectitoftheNationalAssembly。“
Thenwithatoneoftouchingkindnesshesaid：“Countingupontheloveandfidelityofmysubjects，IhavegivenorderstothetroopstowithdrawfromParisandVersailles。AtthesametimeIcommissionandempoweryoutoconveythesemyorderstothecapital。“
Thekingnowclosedhisaddress，whichhadbeeninterruptedbyfrequentexpressionsofdelightandenthusiasm，butwhichwasreceivedattheclosewithathunderofuniversalapplause。AftertheArchbishopofBriennehadexpressedthethanksoftheAssemblyinafewwords，thekingpreparedtoleavethehall。Atthatinstantallpresentroseinordertofollowtheking’ssteps。SilentlythewholeNationalAssemblybecametheretinueoftheking，andaccompaniedhimtothestreet。
Thekingwishedtoreturnonfoottothepalace。BehindhimwalkedtheNationalAssemblyindelighted，joyfulranks。ThestartlingimportanceoftheoccasionseemedtohaveoverpoweredthemosthostileandthemostalienatedAnimmensecrowdofpeople，whichhadgatheredbeforethedoorofthehall，seeingthekingsuddenlyreappearinthemidstofthewholeNationalAssembly，brokeintojubilantcriesofdelight。Theshouts，“Longlivetheking!Longlivethenation!“blendedinaharmoniousconcordwhichrangfarandwide。UponthePlaced’Armeswerestandingthegardesducorps，boththeSwissandtheFrench，withtheirarmsintheirhands。Butthey，too，wereinfectedwiththeuniversalgladness，astheysawtheprocession，whoselikehadneverbeenseenbefore，moveon。
Thecrieswhichto-daysolemnizedthehappyreconciliationofthekingandthepeoplenowwereunitedwiththediscordantclangoftrumpetsandtherattleofdrumsonallsides。
UponthegreatbalconyofthepalaceatVersaillesstoodthequeen，awaitingthereturnoftheking。ThethousandsofvoicesraisedinbehalfofLouisXVI。andthenationhaddrawnMarieAntoinettetothebalcony，afterremaininginherownroomwiththoughtsfullofevilforebodings。Sheheldthedauphininherarms，andledherlittledaughter。Hereyes，fromwhichtheheavyveilsofsadnesswerenowwithdrawn，castjoyfulglancesovertheimmense，shoutingcrowdsofpeopleapproachingthepalace，atwhoseheadshejoyfullyrecognizedherhusband，theking，wearinganexpressionofcheerfulnesswhichforatimeshehadnotseenonhisface。
Whenthekingcaughtsightofhiswife，hehastenedtoremovehishatandsaluteher。Butfewofthedeputiesfollowedtheroyalexample，andsilently，withoutanysalutation，withoutanycriesofacclamation，theylookedupatthequeen。MarieAntoinetteturnedpale，andsteppedhackwithherchildrenintothehall。
“Itisallover，“shesaid，withagushoftears，“itisalloverwithmyhopes。TheQueenofFranceisstilltobethepoorestandmostunhappywomaninFrance，forsheisnotloved，sheisdespised。“
Twosoftyoungarmswerelaidaroundherneck，andwithafacefullofsorrow，andwithtearsinhisgreatblueeyes，thedauphinlookeduptothedisturbedcountenanceofhismother。
“Mammaqueen，“hewhispered，pressingfondlyuptoher，“mammaqueen，Iloveyouandeverybodylovesyou，andmydearbrotherinheavenpraysforyou。“
Withaloudcryofpain，thatescapedheragainstherwill，thequeenpressedhersontoherheartandcoveredhisheadwithherkisses。
“Loveme，myson，loveme，“shewhispered，choking，“andmaythybrotherinheavenprayformethatImaysoonbereleasedfromthepainswhichIsuffer!“
Butassheheardnowthevoiceofthekingwithout，takingleaveofhisretinuewithfriendlywords，MarieAntoinettehastilydriedhertears，andputtingdownthedauphin，whisperedtohim，“DonottellpapathatIhavebeencrying，“andinherwontedloftybearing，withasmileuponhertremblinglips，shewenttomeetherhusband。
Asitgrewlateanddarkintheevening，severalbaggage-wagonsheavilyladenandtightlyclosedmovednoiselesslyandhastilyfromtheinnercourtsofthepalace，andtookthedirectiontowardthecountry。InthesecarriagesweretheCountd’Artois，theDuked’Angouleme，andtheDukedeBerry，thePrincedeConde，theDukedeBourbon，andtheDuked’Enghein，whowereleavingthekingdominsecretflight。
LouisXVI。hadtriedtoquiettheanxietiesofhisbrother，theCountd’Artois，byadvisinghimtoleaveFranceforsometime，andtoremaininaforeignland，untilthetimesshouldbemorequietandpeaceful。Theotherprinces，althoughnotsosorelythreatenedwithpopularrageastheCountd’Artois，whoseheadhadalreadybeendemandedatParis，had，withtheexceptionoftheking’sotherbrother，beensoovercomewiththeiranxietiesastoresolveuponflight。Theywerefollowedonthenextdaybythenewministers，whonow，yieldingtothedemandsoftheNationalAssembly，hadhandedintheirresignationtotheking，butdidnotconsideritsafetoremainwithinrangeofthecapital。
Butanotheroffering，andonemorepainfultothequeen，hadtobemadetothehatredofthepeopleandthehostiledemandsoftheNationalAssembly。MarieAntoinetteherselffeltit，andhadthecouragetoexpressit。
HerfriendsthePolignacsmustbesentaway。Inallthelibellouspamphletswhichhadbeendirectedagainstthequeen，andwhichBriennehadsedulouslygiventoher，itwasoneofthemainchargeswhichhadbeenhurledagainsther，thatthequeenhadgiventoherfriendsenormoussumsfromthestate’streasury；thattheDuchessJulia，asgovernessoftheroyalchildren，andherhusbandtheDukedePolignac，asdirectoroftheroyalmews，receivedayearlysalaryoftwomillionfrancs；andthatthewholePolignacfamilytogetherdrewnearlysixmillionfrancsyearlyfromthenationaltreasury。
MarieAntoinetteknewthatthepeoplehatedthePolignacsonthisaccount，andshewantedatleasttoputherfriendsinaplaceofsafety。
AtthesamehourinwhichthebrothersofthekingandtheprincesoftheroyalfamilyleftVersailles，theDukeandtheDuchessdePolignacweresummonedtothequeen，andMarieAntoinettehadtoldthemwithtremblingvoicethattheytoomustfly，thattheymustmaketheirescapethatverynight。Buttheduchess，aswellastheduke，refusedalmostwithindignationtocomplywiththerequestofthequeen。Theduchess，whobeforehadbeencharacterizedbysocalmamanner，nowshowedforthefirsttimeaglowofaffectionforherroyalfriend，andunreckoningtenderness。“Letusremainwithyou，Marie，“shesaid，choking，andthrowingbothherarmsaroundtheneckofthequeen。“Donotdrivemefromyou。Iwillnotgo，Iwillshareyourperilsandwilldieforyou，ifitmustbe。“
ButMarieAntoinettefoundnowinhergreatlovethepowertoresisttheserequests——thepowertoholdbackthetearswhichstartedfromherheartandtowithdrawherselffromthearmsofherfriend。
“Itmustbe，“shesaid。“InthenameofourfriendshipIconjureyou，Julia，takeyourdepartureatonce，for，ifyouarenotwillingto，Ishalldiewithanxietyaboutyou。Thereisstilltimeforyouandyourstoescapetherageofmyenemies。Theyhateyounotforyourownsake，andhowwoulditbepossibletohatemyJulia？Itisformysake，andbecausetheyhateme，thattheypersecutemydearestfriend。Go，Julia，yououghtnottobethevictimofyourfriendshipforme。“
“No，Iremain，“saidtheduchess，passionately。“Nothingshallseparatemefrommyqueen。“
“Duke，“imploredthequeen，“speaktheword，saythatitisnecessaryforyoutofly!“
“Yourmajesty，“repliedtheduke，gravely，“IcanonlyrepeatwhatJuliasays：nothingshallseparateusfromourqueen。Ifwehaveinthedaysofprosperityenjoyedthefavorofbeingpermittedtobenearyourmajesty，wemustclaimitasthehighestfavortobepermittedtobenearyouinthedaysofyourmisfortune!“