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came to him as an unspoken command； he made his way irresistibly
forward through the crowd of courtiers； ministers； and ladies； and
now stood directly behind the queen。
〃Has your majesty orders for me？〃 he asked； softly。 She looked
anxiously at the king； waiting for an answer； an order。 But the king
was dumb； in order not to answer his wife； he drew the dauphin
closer to him and caressed him。
〃Has your majesty commands for me？〃 asked Toulan once more。
Marie Antoinette turned to him； her eyes suffused with tears； and
let Toulan see her face darkened with grief and despair。
〃No；〃 she whispered； 〃I have only to obey； I have no commands to
give！〃
〃Lafayette；〃 was now heard in the corridor〃General Lafayette is
coming！〃
The queen advanced with hasty steps toward the entering general。
〃Sir；〃 she cried； 〃is this the peace and security that you promised
us； and for which you pledged your word？ Hear that shouting without；
see us as if beleaguered here； and then tell me how it agrees with
the assurances which you made to me！〃
〃Madame； I have been myself deceived；〃 answered Lafayette。 〃The most
sacred promises were made to me； all my requests and propositions
were yielded to。 I succeeded in pacifying the crowd； and I really
believed and hoped that they would continue quiet； that
〃Sir；〃 interrupted the queen； impatiently； 〃Whom do you mean by
'they？' Of whom are you speaking in such tones of respect？〃
〃Madame； I am speaking of the people； with whom I came to an
understanding； and who promised me to keep the peace； and to respect
the slumbers of your majesty。〃
〃You are not speaking of the people； but of the rebels； the
agitators；〃 cried Marie Antoinette； with flashing eyes。 〃You speak
of high traitors； who break violently into the palace of the king；
of murderers； who have destroyed two of our faithful subjects。 Sir；
it is of such crime that you speak with respect； it is with such a
rabble that you have dealt； instead of ordering your soldiers to cut
them down。〃
〃Madame；〃 said Lafayette； turning pale； 〃had I attempted to do that；
your majesty would not have found refuge in this chamber。 For the
anger of the mob is like the lightning and thunder of the tempest；
it heeds neither door nor bolt； and if it has once broken loose；
nothing can restrain or stop it。〃
〃Oh；〃 cried the queen； with a mocking laugh； 〃it is plain that Mr。
Lafayette has been pursuing his studies in America； at the
university of revolutions。 He speaks of the people with a deference
as if it were another majesty to bow to。〃
〃And in that Lafayette is right；〃 said the king； rising and
approaching them。 〃Hear the yell； madame！ it sounds like the roaring
of lions； and you know； Marie； that the lion is called the king of
beasts。 Tell us； general； what does the lion want； and what does his
roaring mean？〃
〃Sire； the enemies of the royal family； the agitators and rebels；
who have within these last hours come from Paris； have urged on the
people afresh； and kindled them with senseless calumnies。 They have
persuaded the people that your majesty has summoned hither the
regiments from all the neighboring stations； that you are collecting
an army to put yourself at its head and march against Paris。〃
Louis cast a significant look at his wife； which was answered with a
proud toss of her head。
〃I have sought in vain；〃 continued Lafayette； 〃to make the poor；
misguided men conscious of the impossibility of such a plan。〃
〃Yet； sir；〃 broke in Marie Antoinette； fiercely； 〃the execution of
this plan would save the crown from dishonor and humiliation！〃
〃Only； madame； that it is exactly the execution of it which is
impossible；〃 answered Lafayette； gently bowing。
〃If you could give wings to the soldiers of the various garrisons
away from here； the plan might be good； and the army might save the
country！ But as； unfortunately； this cannot be； we must think of
other means of help； for your majesty hears the danger knocking now
at the door； and we must do with pacificatory measures what we
cannot do with force。〃
〃How will you use pacificatory measures； sir？〃 asked Marie
Antoinette； angrily。
Lafayette cast upon her a sad； pained look； and turned to the king。
〃Sire；〃 said he； with loud； solemn voice； 〃sire； the people are
frightfully carried away。 Stimulating speeches have driven them to
despair and to madness。 It is only with difficulty that we have
succeeded in keeping the mob out of the palace； and closing the door
again。 'Paris shall be laid in ashes！' is the horrible cry which
drives all these hearts to rage； and to which they give
unconditional belief！〃
〃I will show myself to the people；〃 said Louis。 〃I will tell them
that they have been deceived。 I will give them my royal word that I
have no hostile designs whatever against Paris。〃
General Lafayette sighed； and dropped his head heavily upon his
breast。
〃Do you counsel me not to do this？〃 asked the king； timidly。
〃Sire；〃 answered the general； with a shrug； 〃the people are now in
such an excited； unreasonable state； that words will no longer be
sufficient to satisfy them。 Your majesty might assure them ever so
solemnly that you entertain no hostile intentions whatever against
Paris； and that you will not call outside help to your assistance；
and the exasperated people would mistrust your assurances！ For in
all their rage the people have a distinct consciousness of the
crimes they are engaged in committing in creating this rebellion
against the crown； and they know that it were not human； that it
were divine； for your majesty to forgive such crimes； and therefore
they would not credit such forgiveness。〃
〃How well General Lafayette knows how to interpret the thoughts of
this fanatical rabble； whom he calls 'the people！' 〃ejaculated the
queen； with a scornful laugh。 At this instant a loud； thundering cry
was heard below； and thousands upon thousands of voices shouted；
〃The king！ We want to see the king！〃
Louis's face lighted up。 With quick step he hurried to the window
and raised it。 The people did not see him at once； but the king saw。
He saw the immense square in front of the palace； which had been
devoted to the rich equipages of the nobility； occupied by the
humbler classesthe troops of his staff marching up in their gala
uniformshe saw it filled with a dense mass of men whom Lafayette
had called 〃the people；〃 whom the queen had termed a 〃riotous
rabble；〃 surging up and down； head pressed to head； here and there
faces distorted with rage； eyes blazing； fists clinched； arms bare；
and pikes glistening in the morning light； while a great roar； like
that which comes from the sea in a tempest； filled the air。
〃You are right； Lafayette；〃 said the king； who looked calmly at this
black sea of human life〃you are right； this is the people； there
are here probably twenty thousand men； and Heaven defend me from
regarding all as criminals and rabble！ I believe〃
A tremendous shout now filled the air。 The king had been seen； some
one had noticed him at the open window； and now all heads and all
looks were directed to this window； and twenty thousand voices
cried； 〃Long live the king！ Long liv