Thedauphinflewtoherwithopenarmsandclimbedupherknee。
“Mammaqueen，mydearmammaqueen，“criedhe，“staywithme，don’tgooutagaintothesedreadfulmen，Iamafraidofthem——oh，Iamafraid!“
MarieAntoinettetookthelittleboyinherarms，andwithhercold，palelipspressedakissuponhisforehead。Foroneinstantitseemedasifshefeltherselfovercomebythefearfulscenethroughwhichshehadjustpassed——asifthetearswhichwereconfinedinherheartwouldforcethemselvesintohereyes。ButMarieAntoinetteovercamethisweaknessofthewoman，forshefeltthatatthishourshecouldonlybeaqueen。
Withthedauphininherarms，andpressinghimcloselytoherheart，sheadvancedtotheking，who，inordernottolethiswifeseethetearswhichfloodedhisface，hadwithdrawntotheadjoiningapartmentandwasleaningagainstthedoor。
“Sire，“saidMarieAntoinette，enteringtheroom，andpresentingthedauphintohim，“sire，Iconjureyouthat，inthisfearfulhour，youwillmakeonepromisetome。“
“Whatisit，Marie？“askedtheking，“whatdoyoudesire？“
“Sire，byallthatisdeartoyouandme，“continuedthequeen，“bythewelfareandsafetyofFrance，byyourownandbythesafetyofthisdearchild，yoursuccessor，Iconjureyoutopromisemethat，ifweevermustwitnesssuchasceneofhorroragain，andifyouhavethemeanstoescapeit，youwillnotlettheopportunitypass，“
[Footnote：Theverywordsofthequeen——SeeBeauchesne，“LouisXVI。，saVie，“etc。，p145。]
Theking，deeplymovedbythenobleandglowingfaceofthequeen，bythetonesofhervoice，andbyherwholeexpression，turnedaway。
Hewantedtospeak，butcouldnot；tearschokedhisutterance；and，asifhewereashamedofhisweakness，hepushedthequeenandthedauphinbackfromhim，hastenedthroughtheroom，anddisappearedthroughthedoorontheoppositeside。
MarieAntoinettelookedwithalong，sadfaceafterhim，andthenreturnedtothebalcony-room。Ashudderpassedthroughhersoul，andadark，dreadfulpresentimentmadeherheartforaninstantstopbeating。Sherememberedthatthischamberinwhichshehadthatdaysufferedsuchimmeasurablepain——thatthischamber，whichnowechoedthecriesofamobthathadthisdayforthefirsttimeprescribedlawstoaqueen，hadbeenthedying-chamberofLouisXIV。[Footnote：
Historical——SeeGoncourt，“MarieAntoinette，“p。195。]Adreadfulpresentimenttoldherthatthisdaytheroomhadbecomethedying-
chamberofroyalty。
Likeapale，bloodycorpse，theFuturepassedbeforehereyes，and，withthatlightningspeedwhichaccompaniesmomentsofthegreatestexcitement，alltheolddarkwarningscamebacktoherwhichshehadpreviouslyencountered。ShethoughtofthepictureoftheslaughterofthebabesatBethlehem，whichdecoratedthewallsoftheroominwhichthedauphinpassedhisfirstnightonFrenchsoil；thenofthatdreadfulprophecywhichCountdoCagliostrohadmadetoheronherjourneytoParis，andofthescaffoldwhichheshowedher。Shethoughtofthehurricanewhichhadmadetheearthshakeandturnuptreesbytheirroots，onthefirstnightwhichthedauphinhadpassedinVersailles。ShethoughttooofthedreadfulmisfortunewhichonthenextdayhappenedtohundredsofmenatthefireworksinParis，andcostthemtheirlives。Sherecalledthemomentatthecoronationwhenthekingcaughtupthecrownwhichthepapalnunciowasjustonthepointofplacingonhishead，andsaidatthesametime，“Itpricksme。“[Footnote：Historical。]Andnowitseemedtohertobeanew，dreadfulreasonforalarm，thatthesceneofhorror，whichshehadjustpassedthrough，shouldtakeplaceinthedying-chamberofthatkingtowhomFranceowedhergloryandhergreatness。
“Wearelost，lost!“shewhisperedtoherself。“Nothingcansaveus。
Thereisthescaffold!“
“Withasilentgesture，andagentleinclinationofherhead，thequeentookherleaveofallpresent，andreturnedtoherownapartments，whichwerenowguardedbyLafayette’ssoldiers，andwhichnowconveyednohintofthesceneofhorrorwhichhadtranspiredthereafewhoursbefore。
Somehourslatertwocannonweredischargeduponthegreatsquarebeforethepalace。TheyannouncedtothecityofVersaillesthattheking，thequeen，andtheirchildren，hadjustlefttheproudpalace——
werethenleavingthesolitaryresidenceatVersailles——nevertoreturn!
FromtheloftytowerofthechurchofSt。Louis，inwhichrecentlytheopeningoftheStates-Generalhadbeencelebrated，thebellwasjustthenstrikingthefirsthouraftermid-day，whenthecarriagedroveoutofthegreatgatethroughwhichtheroyalfamilymustpassonitswaytoParis。Arowofothercarriagesformedtheescortoftheroyalequipage。TheywereintendedforthemembersoftheStates-General。ForassoonasthejourneyofthekingtoPariswasannounced，theNationalAssemblydecreedthatitregardeditselfasinseparablyconnectedwiththepersonoftheking，andthatitwouldfollowhimtoParis。Adeputationhadinstantlyrepairedtothepalace，tocommunicatethisdecreetotheking，andhadbeenreceivedbyLouiswithcordialexpressionsofthanks。
MarieAntoinette，however，hadreceivedthetidingsoftheseresolvesoftheNationalAssemblywith，asuspicioussmile，andanangryflashdartedintohereyes。
“Andso，thegentlemenoftheThirdEstatehavegainedtheirpoint!“
criedshe，inwrath。“Theyalonehaveproducedthisrevolt，inorderthattheNationalAssemblymayhaveapretextforgoingtoParis。
Now，theyhavereachedtheirgoal!Yetdonottellmethattherevolutionisendedhere。Onthecontrary，thehydrawillnowputforthallitsheads，andwilltearusinpieces。But，verywell!I
wouldratherbetorntopiecesbythemthanbendbeforethem!“
And，withaloftyairandcalmbearing，MarieAntoinetteenteredthegreatcoachinwhichtheroyalfamilywastomakethejourneytoParis。Nearhersattheking，betweenthemthedauphin。Oppositetothem，onthebroad，frontseat，weretheirdaughterTherese，thePrincessElizabeth，andMadamedeTourzel，governessoftheroyalchildren。Behindthem，inaprocession，whoseendcouldnotbeseen，followedanartillerytrain；thenthemob，armedwithpikes，andotherweapons-mencoveredwithbloodanddust，womenwithdishevelledhairandtorngarments，themostofthemdrunkenwithwine，exhaustedbywatchingduringthenight，shoutingandyelling，andsinginglowsongs，ormockingtheroyalfamilywithscornfulwords。Behindthesewildmassescametwohundredgardesducorpswithoutweapons，hats，andshoulder-straps，everyoneescortedbytwogrenadiers，andtheywerefollowedbysomesoldiersoftheSwissguardandtheFlandersregiment。Inthemidstofthistrainrattledloadedcannon，eachoneaccompaniedbytwosoldiers。Butstillmorefearfulthantheretinueoftheroyalequipageweretheheraldswhoprecededit——heraldsconsistingofthemostdaringanddefiantofthesemenandwomen，impatientlylongingforthemomentwhentheycouldannouncetothecityofParisthattherevolutioninVersailleshadhumiliatedtheking，andgiventhepeoplevictory。
Theycarriedwiththemthebloodytokensofthisvictory，theheadsofVaricourtandDeshuttes，thefaithfulSwissguards，whohaddiedintheserviceoftheirking。Theyhadhoistedboththeseheadsuponpikes，whichtwomenofthemobcarriedbeforetheprocession。
Betweenthemstrode，withproud，triumphantmien，agiganticfigure，withlong，blackbeard，withnakedblood-fleckedarms，withflashingeyes，hisfaceandhandswetwiththebloodwithwhichhehadimbuedhimself，andinhisrighthandaslaughter-knifewhichstilldrippedblood。ThiswasJourdan，who，fromhiscuttingofftheheadsofboththeSwissguards，hadwonthenameoftheexecutioner——anamewhichheunderstoodhowtokeepduringthewholerevolution。[Footnote：
Jourdan，theexecutioner，had，untilthattime，beenamodelintheRoyalAcademyofPaintingandSculpture。]
Likestorm-birds，desiroustobethefirsttoannouncetoParisthetriumphofthepopulace，andimpatientoftheslowprogressoftheroyaltrain，theseheraldsofvictory，bearingtheirbloodybanner，hastenedoninadvanceoftheprocessiontoParis。InSevrestheymadeahalt——nottorest，orwaitfortheoncomingtrain——buttohavethehairofthetwoheadsdressedbyfriseurs，inorder，asJourdanannouncedwithfiendishlaughtertotheyellingmob，thattheymightmaketheirentranceintothecityasfinegentlemen。
Whilebeforethemandbehindthemtheseawfulcries，loudsingingandlaughingresounded，withinthecarriagethatconveyedtheroyalfamilytherewasunbrokensilence。Thekingsatleaningbackinthecorner，withhiseyesclosed，inordernottoseethehorridformswhichfromtimetotimeapproachedthewindowofthecarriage，tostareinwithcuriouslooks，orwithmockinglaughterandequivoques，toheapmiseryontheunfortunatefamily。
Thequeen，however，saterect，withproud，dignifiedbearing，courageouslylookingthehorrorsofthedayintheface，andnotaquiveroftheeyelids，norasigh，betrayingthepainthattorturedhersoul。
“No，betterdiethangranttothistriumphingrabblethepleasureofseeingwhatIsuffer!Bettersinkwithexhaustionthancomplain。“
Notamurmur，notasigh，camefromherlips；andyet，whenthedauphin，afterfourhoursofthissadjourney，turnedwithasupplicatoryexpressiontohismother，andsaidtoherwithhissweetvoice，“Mammaqueen，Iamhungry，“theproudexpressionwithdrewfromthefeaturesofthequeen，andtwogreattearsslowlyrandownoverhercheeks。
Atlast，afterarideofeighthours，thefrightfultrainreachedParis。Notawindowinallthestreetsthroughwhichtheroyalprocessionwentwasempty。Inamazementandterrorthepeopleofthemiddleclassgazedatthishithertounseenspectacle——theKingandtheQueenofFrancebroughtintriumphtothecapitalbythelowestpeopleinthecity!Adumbfeartookpossessionofthosewhohithertohadtriedtoignoretherevolution，andsupposedthateverythingwouldsubsideagainintotheold，wontedforms。Now，noonecouldentertainthishopelonger；now，themosttimidmustconfessthatarevolutionhadindeedcome，andthatpeoplemustaccustomthemselvestolookatiteyetoeye。
Slowlythetrainmovedforward——slowlydownthequaywhichextendsalongbythegardenoftheTuileries。Theloungerswhowereinthegardenhurriedtothefence，whichthenborderedtheparkonthesideofthequay，inordertowatchthisfrightfulprocessionfromthispoint：toseeanunbridledpopulacedashinpiecestheprescriptiveroyaltyofages。