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commanded them to keep still。
A little company of faithful servants filled the background of the
room； and listened with suspended breath to the axe…strokes with
which the savage crowd broke down the doors； and heard the
approaching cries of the multitude。
At last a division of the National Guard reached the palace； too
late to drive the people out； but perhaps in season to protect the
royal family。 The door of the royal apartment was opened to the
second officer of the National Guard； M。 Acloque。 He burst in； and
kneeling before the king； conjured him； with tears in his eyes； to
show himself to the people； and by his presence to calm the savage
multitude。
By this time the two children were no longer able to control their
feelings and suppress their fear。 The dauphin burst into tears and
loud cries； he clung affrighted to the dress of his mother； he
implored her with the most moving tones to take him away； and go
with him to his room。 Marie Antoinette stooped down to the poor
little fellow； and pressed him and Theresa； who was weeping calmly；
to her heart； whispering a few quieting words into their ears。
While the mother was comforting her children； Louis； yielding to
Acloque's entreaties； had left the room； in order to show himself to
the people。 Madame Elizabeth； his sister； followed him through the
corridor into the great hall； passing through the seething crowd；
which soon separated her from the king。 Pushed about on all sides；
Madame Elizabeth could not follow； and was now alone in the throng；
accompanied only by her equerry； M。 Saint…Pardoux。 Armed men pressed
up against the princess； and horrid cries surged around her。
〃There is the Austrian woman！〃 and at once all pikes； all weapons
were directed against the princess。
〃For God's sake！〃 cried M。 de Saint Pardoux； 〃what do you want to
do？ This is not the queen！〃
〃Why do you undeceive them？〃 asked Madame Elizabeth； 〃their error
might save the queen！〃
And while she put back one of the bayonets directed against her
breast； she said； gently： 〃Take care； sir； you might wound somebody；
and I am convinced that you would be sorry。〃
The people were amazed at this； and respectfully made way for her to
come up with the king。 He stood in the middle of the hall；
surrounded by a crowd threatening him with wild curses。 One of these
desperadoes pressed close up to the king； while the others were
shouting that they must strangle the whole royal family； and；
pulling a bottle and a glass out of his pocket； he filled the
latter； gave it to the king； and ordered him to drink to the welfare
of the nation。
The king quietly took the glass。 〃The nation must know that I love
it；〃 said he； 〃for I have made many sacrifices for it。 From the
bottom of my heart I drink to its welfare；〃 and； in spite of the
warning cries of his friends； he put the glass to his lips and
emptied it。
The crowd was beside itself with delight； and their cries were
answered from without by the demand of the bloodthirsty rabble〃How
soon are you going to throw out the heads of the king and the
queen？〃
Marie Antoinette had meanwhile succeeded in pacifying the dauphin。
She raised herself up； and when she saw that the king had gone out；
she started toward the door。
Her faithful friends stopped the way； they reminded her that she was
not simply a queen； that she was a mother； too。 They conjured her
with tears to give ear to prudencenot to rush in vain into danger；
and imperil the king still more。
〃No one shall hinder me from doing what is my duty；〃 cried the
queen。 〃Leave the doorway free。〃
But her friends would not yield； they defied even the wrath of the
queen。 At that moment； some of the National Guards came in through
another door； and pacified Marie Antoinette； assuring her that the
life of the king was not threatened。
In the mean while the shouting came nearer and nearer； the cries
resounded from the guard…room； the doors were torn open； and the
people surged in； in immense waves； like the sea lashed into fury by
the storm。 The National Guards rolled a table before the queen and
her children； and placed themselves at the two sides to defend them。
Only a bit of wood now separated the queen from her enemies； who
brandished their weapons at her。 But Marie Antoinette had now
regained her whole composure。 She stood erect； at her right hand；
her daughter； who nestled up to her motherat her left； the
dauphin； who； with wide…open eyes and looks of astonishment； gazed
at the people bursting in。 Behind the queen were Princesses Lamballe
and Tarente； and Madame Tourzel。
A man； with dishevelled hair and bare bosom； gave the queen a
handful of rods； bearing the inscription； 〃For Marie Antoinette！〃
Another showed her a guillotine； a third a gallows； with the
inscription； 〃Tremble； tyrant！ thy hour has come！〃 Another held up
before her； on the point of a pike； a human heart dripping with
blood； and cried： 〃Thus shall they all bleedthe hearts of tyrants
and aristocrats！〃
The queen did not let her eyes fall； her fixed look rested upon the
shrieking and howling multitude； but when this man； with the
bleeding heart； approached her； her eyelids trembleda deathly
paleness spread over her cheeks； for she recognized himSimon the
cobblerand a fearful presentiment told her that this man； who had
always been for her the incarnation of hatred； is now； when her life
is threatened； to be the source of her chief peril。
From the distance surged in the cries： 〃Long live Santerre！ Long
live the Faubourg Saint Antoine！ Long live the sans…culottes！〃
And at the head of a crowd of half…naked fellows； the brewer
Santerre； arrayed in the fantastic costume of a robber of the
Abruzzo Mountains； with a dagger and pistol in his girdle； dashed
into the room； his broad…brimmed hat； with three red plumes； aslant
upon his brown hair； that streamed down on both sides of his savage
countenance； like the mane of a lion。
The queen lifted the dauphin up； set him upon the table； and
whispered softly to him； he must not cry； he must not grieve； and
the child smiled and kissed his mother's hands。 Just then a drunken
woman rushed up to the table； threw a red cap down upon it； and
ordered the queen； on pain of death； to put it on。
Marie Antoinette threw both her arms around the dauphin； kissed his
auburn hair； and turned calmly to General de Wittgenhofen； who stood
near her。
〃Put the cap upon me；〃 said she； and the women howled with pleasure；
while the general； pale with rage and trembling with grief； obeyed
the queen's command； and put the red cap upon that hair which
trouble had already turned gray in a night。
But； after a minute； General Wittgenhofen took the red cap from the
head of the queen； and laid it on the table。
From all sides resounded thus the commanding cry： 〃The red cap for
the dauphin！ The tri…color for Little Veto！〃 And the women tore
their three…colored ribbons from their caps and threw them upon the
table。
〃If you love the nation；〃 cried the women to the queen； 〃put the red
cap on your son。〃
The queen motioned to Madame Tourzel； who put the red cap on the
dauphin； and decked his neck and arms