open that led to the dauphin's sleeping…room。
And here Louis stood still； and looked with a breath of relief at
the group which met his tearful eyes。 The dauphin was lying in his
bed fast asleep； with a smile on his face。 Marie Antoinette stood
erect before the bed in an attitude of proud composure。
〃Marie；〃 said the king； deeply moved〃Marie； I was looking for
you。〃
The queen slowly turned her head toward him and pointed at the
sleeping prince。
〃Sire；〃 answered she calmly； 〃I was at my post。〃 ＇Footnote： This
conversation； as well as this whole scene； is historical。See
Beauchesne's 〃Louis XVII。；〃 vol。 i。＇
Louis； overcome by the sublimity of a mother's love； hastened to his
wife and locked her in his arms。
〃Remain with me； Marie；〃 he said。 〃Do not leave me。 Breathe your
courage and your decision into me。〃
The queen sighed and sadly shook her head。 She had not a word of
reproach； she did not say that she no longer believed in the courage
and decision of the king； but she had no longer any hope。
But the doors of the room now opened。 Through one came the maids of
the queen and the governess of the dauphin； through the other； some
gentlemen of the court； to call the king back into the audience…
hall。
After the first panic； every one had come back to consciousness
again； and all vied in devoting themselves to the king and the
queen。 The gentlemen brought word that something new had occurred；
and that this was the cause of the dreadful tumult below upon the
square。 The National Guard of Paris had arrived； they had
fraternized with the National Guard of Versailles； and with the
people； they had been received by the women with shouts of applause；
and by the men with a volley of musket…shots in salutation。 General
Lafayette had entered the palace to offer his services to the king；
and he now asked for an audience。
〃Come； madame；〃 said Louis quickly； cheered up； 〃let us receive the
general。 You see that things are not so bad with us as you think。 We
have faithful servants yet to hasten to our assistance。〃
The queen made no reply。 Quietly she followed the king into the
hall； in which Lafayette； surrounded by the ministers and gentlemen；
was standing。 On the entrance of the royal couple； the general
advanced to meet them with a reverential salutation。
〃Sire；〃 said Lafayette； with cheerful confidence〃 sire； I have
come to protect your majesties and the National Assembly against all
those who shall venture to threaten you。〃
〃Are you assured of the fidelity and trustworthiness of your
troops？〃 asked the queen； whose flaming eyes rested upon Lafayette's
countenance as if she wanted to read his utmost thoughts。
But these eyes did not confuse the cheerful calmness of the general。
〃I know； madame； that I can rely upon the fidelity of my soldiers；〃
answered he； confidently。 〃They are devoted to me to the death； and
as I shall command them； they will watch over the security of the
king and queen； and keep all injury from them。〃
The queen detected the touch of scorn in these loud…sounding words；
but she pretended to believe them。 At last she really did believe
them； for Lafayette repeated emphatically that from this time
nothing more was to be feared for the royal family； and that all
danger was past。 The guard should be chosen this night from his own
troops； the Paris National Guard should restore peace again in
Versailles； and keep an eye upon the crowds which had encamped upon
the great square before the palace。
Lafayette promised well for his army； for the howling； shrieking
women； for the cursing； raging men。
And the king was satisfied with these assurances of General
Lafayette； and so； too； was Marie Antoinette at last。
Louis ordered the garde du corps to march to Rambouillet； and
reserved only the necessary sentinels in the palace。 In the
immediate neighborhood the soldiers of Lafayette were stationed。 The
general once more made the rounds； and then； as if every thing was
in a position of the greatest security； he went into the palace to
spend the night there； and in peaceful slumbers to refresh himself
for the labors of the day。
The king； too； had retired to his apartments； and the valets who had
assisted his majesty to undress had not left the sleeping…room； when
the loud； uniform breathing which issued from the silken curtains of
the bed told them that the king had already fallen asleep。 The
queen； too； had gone to rest； and while laying her wearied and heavy
head upon the cushions； she tenderly besought both her maids to lie
down too。 All was quiet now in the dark palace of Versailles。 The
king and the queen slept。
But through the dark； deserted halls which that day had witnessed so
much pain and anxiety； resounded now the clang of the raging；
howling voices which came up from the square； and hurled their
curses against the queen。
In the palace of Versailles they were asleep； but without； before
the palace； Uproar and Hate kept guard； and with wild thoughts of
murder stalked around the palace of the Kings of France。
How soon were these thoughts to become fact！ Sleep； Marie
Antoinette； sleep！ One last hour of peace and security！
One last hour！ Before the morning dawns Hate will awaken thee； and
Murder's terrible voice will resound through the halls of the Kings
of France！
CHAPTER XIII。
THE NIGHT OF HORROR。
Marie Antoinette slept！ The fearful excitement of the past day and
of the stormy evening； crowded with its events； had exhausted the
powers of the queen； and she had fallen into that deep； dreamless
sleep which sympathetic and gracious Nature sometimes sends to those
whom Fate pursues with suffering and peril。
Marie Antoinette slept！ In the interior of the palace a deep calm
reigned； and Lafayette had withdrawn from the court in order to
sleep too。 But below； upon this court； Revolution kept her vigils；
and glared with looks of hatred and vengeance to the dark walls
behind which the queen was sleeping。
The crown of France had for centuries sinned so much； and proved
false so much； that the love of the people had at last been
transformed into hate。 The crown had so long sown the wind； that it
could not wonder if it had to reap the whirlwind。 The crimes and
innovations which Louis XIV。 and Louis XV。 had sown upon the soil of
France； had created an abyss between the crown and the people； out
of which revolution must arise to avenge those crimes and sins of
the past upon the present。 The sins of the fathers had to be visited
upon the children to the third and fourth generation。
Marie Antoinette did not know it； she did not see the abyss which
had opened between the crown and the people； the courtiers and
flatterers had covered it with flowers； and with the sounds of
festivity the cries of a distressed people had been drowned。
Now the flowers were torn away； the festive sounds had ceased； and
Marie Antoinette saw the abyss between the crown and the people； she
heard the curses； the raging cries of these exasperated men； who had
been changed from weak； obedient subjects into threatening；
domineering rebels。 She looked with steady eye down into the abyss；
and saw the monster rise from the depths to destroy herself and her
whole house； but she would not draw back； she would not yield。 She
would rather be dragged down and destroyed than meekly and miserably
to make her way to the camp of her enemies； to take refuge with
them。
Better to die with the crown on her head than to live robbed of her
crown in lowliness and in a； subject condition。 Thus thought Marie
Antoinette； as at the close of that dreadful day she went to rest；
this was her prayer as she sank upon her couch：
〃Give me power； O God； to die as a queen； if I can no longer live as
a queen！ And strengthen my husband； that he may not only be a good
man； but a king too！〃
With this prayer on her trembling lips； she had fallen asleep。 But
when Campan stole on tiptoe to the queen's bed to watch her mistress
while she slept； Marie Antoinette opened her eyes again； and spoke
in her friendly way to her devoted servant。
〃Go to bed； Campan；〃 said she； 〃and the second maid must lie down
too。 You all need rest after this evil day； and sleep is so
refreshing。 Go； Campan； good…night！〃
Madame de Campan had to obey； and stepped out into the antechamber；
where were the two other maids。
〃The queen is asleep；〃 she said； 〃and she has commanded us to go to
rest too。 Shall we do so？〃
The two women answered only with a shake of the head and a shrug of
the shoulders。
〃I know very well that we are agreed；〃 said Madame de Campan；
reaching her hand to them。 〃For us there must be no sleep to…night；
for we must watch the queen。 Come； my friends； let us go into the
antechamber。 We shall find Mr。 Varicourt； who will tell us what is
going on outside。〃
On tiptoe the three women stole out into the second ante…chamber；
which was lighted only with a couple of glimmering wax tapers； and
in its desolate disorder； with the confusion of chairs； divans； and
tables； brought back sad recollections of the wild women who had on
the day before pressed into this apartment in their desire to speak
with the queen。 Somebody had told them that this was the antechamber
of the queen； and they had withdrawn in order to go to the
antechamber of the king。 But they now knew the way that led to the
apartments of the queen； they knew now that if one turned to the
left side of the palace； he would come at once into the apartments
occupied by the royal family； and that the queen occupied the
adjacent rooms； directly behind the hall of the Swiss Guard。
Madame de Campan thought of this； as she cast her glance over this
antechamber which adjoined the Swiss hall； and this thought filled
her with horror。
Varicourt had not yet come in； nothing disturbed the silence around
her； except the dreadful shouting and singing outside of the palace。
〃Let us go back into the waiting…room；〃 whispered her companions；
〃it is too gloomy here。 Only hear how they shout and laugh！ O God；
it is a fearful night！〃
〃Yes； a fearful night；〃 sighed Madame de Campan； 〃and the day that
follows it may be yet more fearful。 But we must not