“No，sheisnotbad，“criedSanterre，strikingwithbothfistsuponthetable，“butbadpeoplehavemisledher，“andasecondtimehestruckthetablewithhisresoundingblows。MarieAntoinettetrembledalittle，andhastilyliftingthedauphinfromthetable，sheputhimbyherside。
“Ah!madame，“criedSanterre，smiling，“don’tbeafraid，theywilldoyounoharm；butjustthinkhowyouhavebeenmisled，andhowdangerousitistodeceivethepeople。Itellyouthatinthenameofthepeople。Fortherest，youneedn’tfear。“
“Iamnotafraid，“saidMarieAntoinette，calmly；“nooneneedeverbeafraidwhoisamongbravepeople，“andwithagracefulgesturesheextendedherhandstotheNationalGuardswhostoodbythetable。
Ageneralshoutofapplausefollowedthewordsofthequeen；theNationalGuardscoveredherhandswithkisses，andeventhewomenweretouched。
“HowcourageoustheAustrianis!“criedone。“Howhandsometheprinceis!“criedanother，andallpresseduptogetanearerviewofthedauphin，andasmileoralookfromhim。
ThegreateyesofSanterreremainedfixeduponthequeen，andrestingbotharmsuponthetableheleanedovertoheruntilhismouthwasclosebyherear。
“Madame，“hewhispered，“youhaveveryunskilfulfriends；Iknowpeoplewhowouldserveyoubetter，who——“
Butasifashamedofthistouchofsympathy，hestopped，sprangbackfromthetable，andwithathunderingvoice，commandedallpresenttomarchoutandleavethepalace。
Theyobeyedhiscommand，filedoutinmilitaryorderpastthetable，behindwhichstoodthequeenwithherchildrenandherfaithfulfriends。
Arareprocession，ararearmy，consistingofmenarmedwithpikes，hatchets，andspades，ofwomenbrandishingknivesandscissorsintheirhands，andalldirectingtheircountenances，beforehyena-likeandscornful，butnowsubduedandsympathetic，tothequeen，whowithcalmeyeandgentlelookrespondedtothesalutationsoftheretreatingcrowdwithafriendlynod。
Inthemeanwhilethelong-delayedhelphadreachedtheking：theNationalGuardshadovercometheragingmultitude，andgainedpossessionofthegreatreception-roomwhereLouiswas。ThemayorofParis，Petion，hadcomeatlast，and，hailedloudlybythecrowdwhichoccupiedthewholespaceintherearoftheNationalGuards，heapproachedtheking。
“Sire，“saidhe，“Ihavejustlearnedwhatisgoingonhere。“
“Iamsurprisedatthat，“answeredtheking，withareproachfullook，“themayorofParisoughttohavelearnedbeforethisaboutthistumult，whichhasnowbeenlastingthreehours。“
“Butisnowatanend，sire，sinceIhavecome，“criedPetion，proudly。“Youhavenownothingmoretofear，sire。“
“Tofear？“repliedLouiswithaproudshrug。“Amanwhohasagoodconsciencedoesnotfear。Feel，“hesaid，takingthehandofthegrenadierwhostoodathisside，“layyourhanduponmyheart，andtellthismanwhetheritbeatsfaster。“[Footnote：Theking’swords。
Thegrenadier’snamewhosehandthekingtook，wasLalanne。Later，inthesecondyearof“theoneandindivisiblerepublic，“hewascondemnedtodiebytheguillotine，because，asstatedinthesentence，heshowedhimselfonthe30thofJune，1798，asacommonservantoftyranny，andboastedtoothercitizensthatCapettookhishand，laidituponhisheart，andsaid：“Feel，myfriend，whetheritbeatsquicker。“——SeeHue，“DernieresAnneesdeLouisSeize，“p。180。]
Petionnowturnedtothepeopleandcommandedthemtowithdraw。
“Fellow-citizens，“saidhe，“youbeganthisdaywiselyandworthily；
youhaveprovedthatyouarefree。Endthedayasyoubeganit。
Separatepeaceably；doasIdo，returntoyourhouses，andgotobed!“Themultitude，flatteredbyPetion’spraises，begantowithdraw，andtheNationalGuardsescortedthekingintothegreatcouncil-chamber，whereadeputationoftheNationalAssemblyhadmettopaytheirrespectstotheking。
“Whereisthequeen，wherearethechildren？“criedtheking，as，exhausted，hesankintoachair。
Hisgentlemenhastenedouttobringthem，andsoonthequeenandthechildrencamein。WithextendedarmsMarieAntoinettehastenedtoherhusband，andtheyremainedalongtimelockedintheirembrace。
“Papaking，“criedthedauphin，“givemeakiss，too!Ihavedeservedit，forIwasbraveanddidnotcrywhenthepeopleputtheredcaponmyhead。“
Thekingstoopeddowntothechildandkissedhisgoldenhair，andthenpressedhislittledaughter，whowasnestlinguptohim，tohisheart。
Thedeputiesstoodwithcuriouslooksaroundthegroup，towhomitwasnotgranted，evenaftersuchafearfuldayandsuchimminentperil，toembraceeachother，andthankGodfortheirpreservation，withoutwitnesses。
“Confess，madame，“saidoneofthedeputiestoMarieAntoinette，inaconfidentialtone，“confessthatyouhaveexperiencedgreatanxiety。“
“No，sir，“repliedthequeen，“Ihavenotbeenanxious，butIhavesufferedseverely，becauseIwasseparatedfromthekingatamomentwhenhislifewasthreatened。Ihadatleastmychildrenwithme，andsocoulddischargeoneofmyduties。“
“Iwillnotexcuseeverythingthattookplaceto-day，“saidthedeputy，withashrug。“Butconfessatleast，madame，thatthepeopleconductedthemselvesverywell。“
“Sir，thekingandIareconvincedofthenaturalgood-natureofthepeople；theyareonlybadwhentheyareledastray。“
Someotherdeputiesapproachedthedauphin，anddirectedvariousquestionstohim，inordertoconvincethemselvesabouthisprecociousunderstandingthatwassomuchtalkedabout。
Oneofthegentlemen，speakingofthedaythathadgoneby，compareditwithSt。Bartholomew’snight。
“Thecomparisondoesnothold，“criedanother：“hereisnoCharlestheNinth。“
“AndnoCatherinedeMediciseither，“saidthedauphin，quickly，pressingthehandofthequeentohislips。
“Oh!seethelittlescholar，“criedtheby-standers。“Letusseewhetherheknowsasmuchaboutgeographyasabouthistory!“
Andallpresseduptohim，toputquestionstohimaboutthesituationandboundariesofFrance，andaboutthedivisionoftheFrenchterritoryintodepartmentsanddistricts。Theprinceansweredallthesequestionsquicklyandcorrectly。Aftereveryanswerhecastaninquiringglanceatthequeen，andwhenhereadinherlooksthathisanswerhadbeencorrect，hiseyesbrightened，andhischeeksglowedwithpleasure。
“Ourdauphinisreallyverylearned，“criedoneofthedeputies。“I
shouldliketoknowwhetherhehaspaidanyattentionyettothearts。Doyoulovemusic，mylittleprince？“
“Ah，sir，“answeredthedauphin，eagerly，“whoeverhasheardmammasingandplay，mustlovemusic!“
“Doyousingtoo，prince？“
Thedauphinraisedhiseyestohismother。“Mamma，“heasked，“shallIsingtheprayerofthismorning？“
MarieAntoinettenodded。“Singit，myson，forperhapsGodhearditthismorning，andhasgraciouslyansweredit。“
Thedauphinsankuponhisknees，andfoldinghishands，heraisedhisheadandturnedhisblueeyestowardheaven，and，withasweetvoiceandamild，smilinglook，hesangthesewords：
“Ciel，entendslapriereQu’icijefais；ConserveunsiboilpereA
sessujets。“[Footnote：SeeBeauchesne，vol。i。，p。146。Thissceneishistorical。SeesHue，“DernioreeAnneesdeLouisXVI。“Thisprayerisfromtheoperasomuchadmiredatthattime，“PetertheGreat““O
Heaven，accepttheprayer，Iofferhere；UntohissubjectsspareMyfatherdear。“]
Adeep，solemnsilencereignedwhilethedauphin’svoicerangthroughtheroom。Thefacesofthedeputies，hithertodefiantandsevere，softened，deeplymoved。Theyalllookedatthebeautifulboy，whowasstillonhisknees，hiscountenancebeaming，andwithasmileuponitlikethefaceofoneinablissfuldream。Nooneventuredtobreakthesilence。Theking，whosearmwasthrownaroundtheneckofhisdaughter，lookedaffectionatelyatthedauphin；
MadameElizabethhadfoldedherhands，andwaspraying；butMarieAntoinette，nolongerabletocontrolherdeepemotion，coveredherfacewithherhands，andweptinsilence。
Fromthisdaythelifeoftheroyalfamilywasoneofconstantexcitement——anincessant，feverishexpectationofcomingevil。Thekingboreitallwithanuncomplainingresignation；noonedrewfromhimacomplaint，nooneareproach。Butthethoughtneverseemedtooccurtohimthatperhapsevenyetsafetymightbeattainedbyenergy，byspirit，orevenbyflight。
Hehadsurrenderedall；hewasreadytosufferasaChristianinsteadofrisingasaking，andpreferredtofallinhonorablebattleratherthantolivedespised。
MarieAntoinettehadgivenuphereffortstoinspireherhusbandwithherownenergeticwill。Sheknewthatallwasinvain，andhadacceptedherfate。Sinceshecouldnotliveasaqueen，shewouldatleastdieasone。Shemadeherpreparationsforthiscalmlyandwithcharacteristicdecision。“Theywillkillme，Iknow，“shesaidtohermaids。“Ihaveonlyonedutyleftme，topreparemyselftodie!“