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not to be sufficiently strong； are desirous of supplying its place
with another 〃to hang the Archbishop of Paris； Maury； and
d'Espréménil。〃 This murderous； carnivorous rage penetrates even
among those whose duty it is to maintain order； one of the National
Guard being heard to say that 〃the body…guards must be killed to the
last man； and their hearts torn out for a breakfast。〃
Finally； towards midnight； the National Guard of Paris arrives； but
it only adds one insurrection to another； for it has likewise
mutinied against its chiefs。＇38＇
〃If M。 de Lafayette is not disposed to accompany us；〃 says one of
the grenadiers； 〃we will take an old grenadier for our commander。〃
Having come to this decision； they sought the general at the H？tel…
de…Ville； and the delegates of six of the companies made their
instructions known to him。
〃General； we do not believe that you are a traitor； but we think
that the Government is betraying us。。。。 The committee on
subsistence is deceiving us； and must be removed。 We want to go to
Versailles to exterminate the body…guard and the Flemish regiment
who have trampled on the national cockade。 If the King of France is
too feeble to wear his crown； let him take it off； we will crown his
son and things will go better。〃
In vain Lafayette refuses； and harangues them on the Place de Grève；
in vain he resists for hours； now addressing them and now imposing
silence。 Armed bands； coming from the Faubourgs Saint…Antoine and
Saint…Marceau； swell the crowd； they take aim at him； others prepare
the lamp…post。 He then dismounts and endeavors to return to the
H？tel…de…Ville； but his grenadiers bar the way：
〃Morbleu； General； you will stay with us； you will not abandon us ！〃
Being their chief it is pretty plain that he must follow them； which
is also the sentiment of the representatives of the commune at the
H？tel…de…Ville； who send him their authorization； and even the order
to march； 〃seeing that it is impossible for him to refuse。〃
Fifteen thousand men thus reach Versailles； and in front of and
along with them thousands of ruffians； protected by the darkness。
On this side the National Guard of Versailles； posted around the
chateau； together with the people of Versailles； who bar the way
against vehicles； have closed up every outlet。＇39＇ The King is
prisoner in his own palace； he and his； with his ministers and his
court； and with no defense。 For； with his usual optimism； he has
confided the outer posts of the chateau to Lafayette's soldiers；
and； through a humanitarian obstinacy which he is to maintain up to
the last；＇40＇ he has forbidden his own guards to fire on the crowd；
so that they are only there for show。 With common right in his
favor； the law； and the oath which Lafayette had just obliged his
troops to renew； what could he have to fear？ What could be more
effective with the people than trust in them and prudence？ And by
playing the sheep one is sure of taming brutes！
》From five o'clock in the morning they prowl around the palace…
railings。 Lafayette； exhausted with fatigue； has taken an hour's
repose；＇41＇ which hour suffices for them。＇42＇ A populace armed with
pikes and clubs； men and women； surrounds a squad of eighty…eight
National Guards； forces them to fire on the King's Guards； bursts
open a door； seizes two of the guards and chops their heads off。
The executioner； who is a studio model； with a heavy beard；
stretches out his blood…stained hands and glories in the act； and so
great is the effect on the National Guard that they move off；
through sensibility； in order not to witness such sights： such is
the resistance！ In the meantime the crowd invade the staircases；
beat down and trample on the guards they encounter； and burst open
the doors with imprecations against the Queen。 The Queen runs off；
just in time； in her underclothes； she takes refuge with the King
and the rest of the royal family； who have in vain barricaded
themselves in the ？il…de…Boeuf； a door of which is broken in： here
they stand； awaiting death； when Lafayette arrives with his
grenadiers and saves all that can be save their lives； and
nothing more。 For； from the crowd huddled in the marble court the
shout rises； 〃To Paris with the King ！〃 a command to which the King
submits。
Now that the great hostage is in their hands； will they deign to
accept the second one？ This is doubtful。 On the Queen approaching
the balcony with her son and daughter； a howl arises of 〃No
children！〃 They want to have her alone in the sights of their guns；
and she understands that。 At this moment M。 de Lafayette； throwing
the shield of his popularity over her； appears on the balcony at her
side and respectfully kisses her hand。 The reaction is
instantaneous in this over…excited crowd。 Both the men and
especially the women； in such a state of nervous tension； readily
jump from one extreme to another； rage bordering on tears。 A
portress； who is a companion of Maillard's；＇43＇ imagines that she
hears Lafayette promise in the Queen's name 〃to love her people and
be as much attached to them as Jesus Christ to his Church。〃 People
sob and embrace each other； the grenadiers shift their caps to the
heads of the body…guard。 Everything will be fine ： 〃the people have
won their King back。〃 Nothing is to be done now but to rejoice；
and the cortege moves on。 The royal family and a hundred deputies；
in carriages； form the center； and then comes the artillery； with a
number of women bestriding the cannons； next； a convoy of flour。
Round about are the King's Guards； each with a National Guard
mounted behind him； then comes the National Guard of Paris； and
after them men with pikes and women on foot； on horseback； in cabs；
and on carts； in front is a band bearing two severed heads on the
ends of two poles； which halts at a hairdresser's； in Sèvres； to
have these heads powdered and curled；＇44＇ they are made to bow by
way of salutation； and are daubed all over with cream； there are
jokes and shouts of laughter； the people stop to eat and drink on
the road； and oblige the guards to clink glasses with them； they
shout and fire salvos of musketry； men and women hold each other's
hands and sing and dance about in the mud。 Such is the new
fraternity： a funeral procession of legal and legitimate
authorities； a triumph of brutality over intelligence； a murderous
and political Mardi…gras； a formidable masquerade which； preceded by
the insignia of death； drags along with it the heads of France； the
King； the ministers； and the deputies； that it may constrain them to
rule to until according to its frenzy； that it may hold them under
its them pikes until it is pleased to slaughter them。
VI。
The Government and the nation in the hands of the revolutionary
party。
This time there can be no mistake： the Reign of Terror is fully and
firmly established。 On this very day the mob stops a vehicle； in