Thekingwasdressed，andthepriestgavehimthesacrament，thevesselsusedhavingbeentakenfromtheneighboringCapuchinchurchofMarais。AnoldchestofdrawerswasconvertedbyCleryintoanaltar，twoordinarycandlesticksstoodoneachsideofthecup，andinthemtwotallowcandlesburned，insteadofwax。BeforethisaltarkneeledKingLouisXVI。，lostinthoughtandprayer，andwearingacalm，peacefulface。
Thepriestreadthemass；Cleryrespondedassacristan；andevenwhilethekingwasreceivingtheelements，thesoundofthedrumsandtrumpetswasheardwithout，whichawakenedParisthatmorningandtoldthecitythattheKingofFrancewasbeingledtohisexecution。Cannonwererattlingthroughthestreets，andNationalGuardsmenwerehurryingonfootandonhorsealongthewholeofthewaythatledfromtheTempletothePlacedelaConcorde。Arankofmen，fourdeepandstandingclosetooneanother，armedwithpikesandotherweapons，guardedbothsidesofthestreet，andmadeitimpossibleforthosewhowantedtoliberatethekingduringtheride，tocomeneartohim。TheauthoritiesknewthatoneofthebravestandmostdeterminedpartisansofthekinghadarrivedinParis，andthathe，inconjunctionwithanumberofyoungandbrave-
spiritedmen，hadresolvedonrescuingthekingatanycost，duringhisridetotheplaceofexecution。Theutmostprecautionshadbeentakentorenderthisimpossible。ThroughthedenseranksoftheNationalGuard，whichto-daywascomposedofmeresans-culottes，theraging，bloodthirstymenofthesuburbsdrovethecarriageinwhichwastheking，followedandescortedbyNationalGuardsmenonhorseback。Thewindowswereallclosedandthecurtainsdrawninthehousesbywhichtheprocessionpassed；butbehindthosecurtainedwindowsitisprobablethatpeoplewereupontheirkneesprayingfortheunhappymanwhowasnowonhiswaytothescaffold，andwhowasonceKingofFrance。
Allatoncetherearoseamovementinthisdreadfulhedgeofarmedmen，throughwhichthecarriagewaspassing。Twoyoungmencried：
“Tous，Frenchmen——tous，allwhowanttosavetheking!“
Butthecryfoundnoresponse。Everyonelookedhorrifiedathisneighbor，andbelievedhesawinhimaspyoramurderer；fearbenumbedalltheirsouls，andthesilenceofdeathreignedaround。
Thetwoyoungmenwantedtoflee，toescapeintoahousecloseby。
Butthedoorwasclosed，andbeforetheverydoortheywerecutdownandhewninpiecesbytheexasperatedsans-culottes。
Thecarriageofthekingrolledon，andLouispaidnomoreattentiontoobjectsaroundhim；intheprayer-bookwhichhecarriedinhishandshereadthepetitionsforthedying，andtheabbeprayedwithhim。
Thecoachmanhaltedatthefootofthescaffold，andthekingdismounted。Aforestofpikessurroundedthespot。Thedrummersbeatloudly，butthekingcriedwithaloudvoice，“Silence!“andthenoiseceased。Onthat，Santerresprangforwardandcommandedthemtocommencebeatingtheirdrumsagain，andtheyobeyedhim。Thekingtookoffhisuppergarments，andtheexecutionersapproachedtocutoffhishair。Hequietlyletthisbedone，butwhentheywantedtotiehishands，hiseyesflashedwithanger，andwithafirmvoiceherefusedtoallowthemtodoso。
“Sire，“saidthepriest，“IseeinthisnewinsultonlyafreshpointofresemblancebetweenyourmajestyandourSaviour，whowillbeyourrecompenseandyourstrength。“
Louisraisedhiseyestoheavenwithanindescribableexpressionofgriefandresignation。“Truly，“hesaid，“onlymyrecollectionofHimandHisexamplecanenablemetoendurethisnewdegradation。“
Hegavehishandstotheexecutioner，toletthembebound。Thenrestingonthearmoftheabbe，heascendedthestepsofthescaffold。Thetwentydrummers，whostoodaroundthestaging，beattheirdrums；buttheking，advancingtotheveryvergeofthescaffold，commandedthemwithaloudvoicetobesilent，andthenoiseceased。
Inatonewhichwasaudibleacrossthewholesquare，andwhichmadeeverywordintelligible，thekingsaid：“Idieinnocentofallthechargeswhicharebroughtagainstme。Iforgivethosewhohavecausedmydeath，andIprayGodthatthebloodwhichyouspillthisdaymaynevercomebackupontheheadofFrance。Andyou，unhappypeople——“
“Donotlethimgoontalkingthisway，“criedSanterre’scommandingvoice，interruptingtheking，thenturningtoLouishesaid，inanangrytone，“Ibroughtyouherenottomakespeeches，buttodie!“
Thedrumsbeat，theexecutionersseizedthekingandbenthimdown。
TheprieststoopedoverhimandmurmuredsomewordswhichonlyGodheard，butwhichatraditionfullofadmirationandsympathyhastransposedintotheimmortalandpopularformulawhichistruerthantruthandmorehistoricalthanhistory：“SonofSt。Louis，ascendtoHeaven!“
Thedrumsbeat，aglisteningobjectpassedthroughtheair，astrokewasheard，andbloodspirtedup。TheKingofFrancewasdead，andSamsontheexecutionerliftedupthehead，whichhadonceborneacrown，toshowittothepeople。
Adreadfulsilencefollowedforaninstant；thenthepopulacebrokeinmassesthroughtherowsofsoldiers，andrushedtothescaffold，inordertobearawaysomeremembrancesofthisever-memorableevent。Theclothesofthekingweretorntoragsanddistributed，andtheyevengavetheexecutionersomegoldinexchangeforlocksofhairfromthebleedinghead。AnEnglishmangaveachildfifteenlouisd’orfordippinghishandkerchiefinthebloodwhichflowedfromthescaffold。Anotherpaidthirtylouisd’orfortheperukeoftheking。[Footnote：ThesedetailsItakefromthe“VossischeZeitung，“which，initsissueofthe5thofFebruary，1798，containsafullreportoftheexecutionofKingLouisXVI。，andalsoannouncesthatthecourtofPrussiawilltestifyitsgriefattheunmeritedfatebywearingmourningforaperiodoffourweeks。Theauthorofthisworkpossessesacopyofthe“VossischeZeitung“ofthatdate，insmallquartoform，printedonthick，graypaper。InthesamenumberofthejournalisafablebyHermannPfeffel，whichrunsinthefollowingstrain：
Firstmoral，thenpoliticalfreedom。
Afable，byHermannPfeffel。ZeusandtheTigers。
ToZeustherecameonedayAdeputationoftigers。“Mightypotentate，“
ThusspoketheirCicerobeforethemonarch’sthrone，“Thenoblenationoftigers，Haslongbeenweariedwiththelion’schoiceasking。
DoesnotNaturegiveusanequalclaimwithhis？
Therefore，OZeus，declaremyraceTobeapeopleoffreecitizens!“
“No，“saidthegodofgods，“itcannotbe；
Youaredeceivers，thieves，andmurderers，Onlyagoodpeoplemeritsbeingfree。“
[Footnote：“MarieAntoinetteetsaFamine，“parLescure，p。648。]
Ontheeveningofthesameday，theexecutionerSamson，shockedattheterribledeedwhichhehaddone，wenttoapriest，paidformassestobesaidforthereposeoftheking，thenlaiddownhisoffice，retiredintosolitude，anddiedinsixmonths。Hissonwashissuccessorinhisghostlyoffice，and，inapiousmanner，hecontinuedwhathisfatherbegan。Themassesfortheking，institutedbythetwoSamsons，continuedtobereadtilltheyear1840。
Onthemorrowwhichfollowedthisdreadfulday，the“WidowCapet“
requestedtheauthoritiestoprovideforherselfandherfamilyasuiteofmourningofthesimplestkind。
Therepublicwasmagnanimousenoughtocomplywiththisrequest。
ThecitizenToulanisonguardagainattheTemple，andthistimewithhisfriendLepitre。Heissotrustworthyandblamelessarepublican，andsozealousacitizen，thattherepublicgiveshimunconditionalconfidence。Therepublichadappointedhimaschiefofthebureauforthecontroloftheeffectsofemigres。Toulanis，besides，amemberoftheConvention；anditisnothisfaultthat，onthedaywhenthedecisionwasmaderespectingtheking’slifeordeath，hewasnotintheAssembly。Hehadbeencompelledatthattimetomakeajourneyintotheprovinces，toattachthepropertyofanaristocratwhohademigrated。HadToulanbeeninParis，hewouldnaturallyhavegivenhisvoiceinfavoroftheexecutionoftheking。Hesaysthisfreelyandopenlytoeveryone，andeveryonebelieveshim，forToulanisanentirelyunsuspectedrepublican。Hebelongstothesans-culottes，andtakesprideinnotbeingdressedbetterthanthemeanestcitizen。HebelongstothefriendsofMarat，andSimonthecobblerisalwayshappywhenToulanhasthewatchintheTemple；forToulanissuchajovial，merryfellow，hecanmakesuchcapitaljokesandlaughsoheartilyatthoseofothers。TheyhavesuchfinetimeswhenToulanisthere，andthesportisthegreatestwhenhisfriendLepitreiswithhimonserviceintheTemple。Thenthetwohavethegrandestsportofall；theyevenhavelittleplays，whicharesofunnythatSimonhastolaughoutright，andeventheturnkeyTison，andhiswife，forgettokeepguard，andleavetheglassdoorthroughwhichtheyhavebeenwatchingtheroyalfamily，inordertobespectatorsatToulan’slittlefarces。
“ThesearejollydayswhenyouarebothintheTemple，“saidSimon，“andyoucannotblamemeifIliketohaveyouhere，andputyouonserviceprettyoften。“
“Oh，wedonotblameyouforthat，“saidToulan，“ontheotherhand，weparticularlylikebeingwithyou，youaresuchasplendidfellow!“
“Andthen，“addsLepitretothis，“itissopleasanttoseetheproudshe-wolfandheryoungones，andtosetthemdownalittle。
Thesepeople，whentheywerelivingintheTuileries，haveturneduptheirnosesatusoftenenough，andactedasifwewereonlydustthattheymustblowawayfromtheirexaltedpresence。Itistimethattheyshouldfeelalittlethattheyareonlydustforustoblowaway!“
“Yes，indeed，“chimedinToulan，“itishightimethattheyshouldfeelit!“