"'The King has made up his mind to the acceptance of the Constitution,

and it will ere long be proclaimed publicly. A few days ago I was

secretly waited upon and closeted in your apartment with many of our

faithful friends,--in particular, Alexandre de Lameth, Duport, Barnave,

Montmorin, Bertrand de Moleville, et cetera. The two latter opposed the

King's Council, the Ministers, and the numerous other advisers of an

immediate and unscrutinizing acceptance. They were a small minority, and

could not prevail with me to exercise my influence with His Majesty in

support of their opinion, when all the rest seemed so confident that a

contrary course must re-establish the tranquillity of the nation and our

own happiness, weaken the party of the Jacobins against us, and greatly

increase that of the nation in our favor.

"'Your absence obliged me to call Elizabeth to my aid in managing the

coming and going of the deputies to and from the Pavilion of Flora,

unperceived by the spies of our enemies. She executed her charge so

adroitly, that the visitors were not seen by any of the household. Poor

Elizabeth! little did I look for such circumspection in one so

unacquainted with the intrigues of Court, or the dangers surrounding us,

which they would now fain persuade us no longer exist. God grant it may

be so! and that I may once more freely embrace and open my heart to the

only friend I have nearest to it. But though this is my most ardent

wish, yet, my dear, dearest Lamballe, I leave it to yourself to act as

your feelings dictate. Many about us profess to see the future as clear

as the sun at noon-day. But, I confess, my vision is still dim. I

cannot look into events with the security of others--who confound logic

with their wishes. The King, Elizabeth, and all of us, are anxious for

your return. But it would grieve us sorely for you to come back to such

scenes as you have already witnessed. Judge and act from your own

impressions. If we do not see you, send me the result of your interview

at the precipice.--[The name the Queen gave to Mr. Pitt]--'Vostra cara

picciolca Inglesina' will deliver you many letters. After looking over

the envelopes, you will either send her with them as soon as possible or

forward them as addressed, as you may think most advisable at the time

you receive them.

"'Ever, ever, and forever,

"'Your affectionate,

"'MARIE ANTOINETTE!

"There was another hurried and abrupt note from Her Majesty among these

papers, obviously written later than the first. It lamented the cruel

privations to which she was doomed at the Tuileries, in consequence of

the impeded flight, and declared that what the Royal Family were forced

to suffer, from being totally deprived of every individual of their

former friends and attendants to condole with, excepting the equally

oppressed and unhappy Princesse Elizabeth, was utterly insupportable.

"On the receipt of these much esteemed epistles, I returned, as my duty

directed, to the best of Queens, and most sincere of friends. My arrival

at Paris, though so much wished for, was totally unexpected.

"At our first meeting, the Queen was so agitated that she was utterly at

a loss to explain the satisfaction she felt in beholding me once more

near her royal person. Seeing the ring on my finger, which she had done

me the honour of sending me, she pointed to her hair, once so beautiful,

but now, like that of an old woman, not only gray, but deprived of all

its softness, quite stiff and dried up.

"Madame Elizabeth, the King, and the rest of our little circle, lavished

on me the most endearing caresses. The dear Dauphin said to me, 'You

will not go away again, I hope, Princess? Oh, mamma has cried so since

you left us!'

"I had wept enough before, but this dear little angel brought tears into

the eyes of us all."

"When I mentioned to Her Majesty the affectionate sympathy expressed by

the King and Queen of England in her sufferings, and their regret at the

state of public affairs in France, 'It is most noble and praiseworthy in

them to feel thus,' exclaimed Marie Antoinette; 'and the more so

considering the illiberal part imputed to us against those Sovereigns in

the rebellion of their ultramarine subjects, to which, Heaven knows, I

never gave my approbation. Had I done so, how poignant would be my

remorse at the retribution of our own sufferings, and the pity of those I

had so injured! No. I was, perhaps, the only silent individual amongst

millions of infatuated enthusiasts at General La Fayette's return to

Paris, nor did I sanction any of the fetes given to Dr. Franklin, or the

American Ambassadors at the time. I could not conceive it prudent for

the Queen of an absolute monarchy to countenance any of their newfangled

philosophical experiments with my presence. Now, I feel the reward in my

own conscience. I exult in my freedom from a self-reproach, which would

have been altogether insupportable under the kindness of which you

speak.'

"As soon as I was settled in my apartment, which was on the same floor

with that of the Queen, she condescended to relate to me every particular

of her unfortunate journey. I saw the pain it gave her to retrace the

scenes, and begged her to desist till time should have, in some degree,

assuaged the poignancy of her feelings. 'That,' cried she, embracing me,

I can never be! Never, never will that horrid circumstance of my life

lose its vividness in my recollection. What agony, to have seen those

faithful servants tied before us on the carriage, like common criminals!

All, all may be attributed to the King's goodness of heart, which

produces want of courage, nay, even timidity, in the most trying scenes.

As poor King Charles the First, when he was betrayed in the Isle of

Wight, would have saved himself, and perhaps thousands, had he permitted

the sacrifice of one traitor, so might Louis XVI. have averted calamities

so fearful that I dare not name, though I distinctly foresee them, had he

exerted his authority where he only called up his compassion.'

"'For Heaven's sake,' replied I, 'do not torment yourself by these cruel

recollections!'

"'These are gone by,' continued Her Majesty, and greater still than even

these. How can I describe my grief at what I endured in the Assembly,

from the studied humiliation to which the King and the royal authority

were there reduced in the face of the national representatives! from

seeing the King on his return choked with anguish at the mortifications

to which I was doomed to behold the majesty of a French Sovereign

humbled! These events bespeak clouds, which, like the horrid waterspout

at sea, nothing can dispel but cannon! The dignity of the Crown, the

sovereignty itself, is threatened; and this I shall write this very night

to the Emperor. I see no hope of internal tranquillity without the

powerful aid of foreign force.

[The only difference of any moment which ever existed between the Queen

and the Princesse de Lamballe as to their sentiments on the Revolution

was on this subject. Her Highness wished Marie Antoinette to rely on the

many persons who had offered and promised to serve the cause of the

monarchy with their internal resources, and not depend on the Princes and

foreign armies. This salutary advice she never could enforce on the

Queen's mind, though she had to that effect been importuned by upwards of

two hundred persona, all zealous to show their penitence for former

errors by their present devotedness.

"Whenever," observed Her Highness, "we came to that point, the Queen

(upon seriously reflecting that these persons had been active instruments

in promoting the first changes in the monarchy, for which she never

forgave them from her heart) would hesitate and doubt; and never could I

bring Her Majesty definitely to believe the profferers to be sincere.

Hence, they were trifled with, till one by one she either lost them, or

saw them sacrificed to an attachment, which her own distrust and

indecision rendered fruitless."]

The King has allowed himself to be too much led to attempt to recover his

power through any sort of mediation. Still, the very idea of owing our

liberty to any foreign army distracts me for the consequences.'

"My reinstatement in my apartments at the Pavilion of Flora seemed not

only to give universal satisfaction to every individual of the Royal

Family, but it was hailed with much enthusiasm by many deputies of the

constituent Assembly. I was honoured with the respective visits of all

who were in any degree well disposed to the royal cause.

"One day, when Barnave and others were present with the Queen, 'Now,'

exclaimed one of the deputies, 'now that this good Princess is returned

to her adopted country, the active zeal of Her Highness, coupled with

Your Majesty's powerful influence over the mind of the King for the

welfare of his subjects, will give fresh vigour to the full execution of

the Constitution.'

"My visitors were earnest in their invitations for me to go to the

Assembly to hear an interesting discussion, which was to be brought

forward upon the King's spontaneous acceptance of the Constitution.

"I went; and amidst the plaudits for the good King's condescension, how

was my heart lacerated to hear Robespierre denounce three of the most

distinguished of the members, who had requested my attendance, as

traitors to their country!

"This was the first and only Assembly discussion I ever attended; and how

dearly did I pay for my curiosity! I was accompanied by my 'cara

Inglesina', who, always on the alert, exclaimed, 'Let me entreat Your

Highness not to remain any longer in this place. You are too deeply

moved to dissemble.'

"I took her judicious advice, and the moment I could leave the Assembly

unperceived, I hastened back to the Queen to beg her, for God's sake, to

be upon her guard; for, from what I had just heard at the Assembly, I

feared the Jacobins had discovered her plans with Barnave, De Lameth,

Duport, and others of the royal party. Her countenance, for some

minutes, seemed to be the only sensitive part of her. It was perpetually

shifting from a high florid colour to the paleness of death. When her

first emotions gave way to nature, she threw herself into my arms, and,

for some time, her feelings were so overcome by the dangers which

threatened these worthy men, that she could only in the bitterness of her

anguish exclaim, 'Oh! this is all on my account!' And I think she was

almost as much alarmed for the safety of these faithful men, as she had

been for that of the King on the 17th of July, when the Jacobins in the

Champ de Mars called out to have the King brought to trial--a day of

which the horrors were never effaced from her memory!

"The King and Princesse Elizabeth fortunately came in at the moment; but

even our united efforts were unavailable. The grief of Her Majesty at

feeling herself the cause of the misfortunes of these faithful adherents,

now devoted victims of their earnestness in foiling the machinations

against the liberty and life of the King and herself, made her nearly

frantic. She too well knew that to be accused was to incur instant

death. That she retained her senses under the convulsion of her feelings

can only be ascribed to that wonderful strength of mind, which triumphed

over every bodily weakness, and still sustains her under every emergency.

"The King and the Princesse Elizabeth, by whom Barnave had been much

esteemed ever since the journey from Varennes, were both inconsolable. I

really believe the Queen entirely owed her instantaneous recovery from

that deadly lethargic state, in which she had been thrown by her grief

for the destined sacrifice, to the exuberant goodness of the King's

heart, who instantly resolved to compromise his own existence, to save

those who had forfeited theirs for him and his family.

"Seeing the emotion of the Queen, 'I will go myself to the Assembly,'

said Louis XVI., 'and declare their innocence.'

"The Queen sprang forward, as if on the wings of an angel, and grasping

the King in her arms, cried, 'Will you hasten their deaths by confirming

the impression of your keeping up an understanding with them? Gracious

Heaven! Oh, that I could recall the acts of attachment they have shown

us, since to these they are now falling victims! I would save them,'

continued Her Majesty, 'with my own blood; but, Sire, it is useless. We

should only expose ourselves to the vindictive spirit of the Jacobins

without aiding the cause of our devoted friends.'

"'Who,' asked she, I was the guilty wretch that accused our unfortunate

Barnave?'

"'Robespierre.'

"'Robespierre!' echoed Her Majesty. 'Oh, God! then he is numbered with

the dead! This fellow is too fond of blood to be tempted with money. But

you, Sire, must not interfere!'

"Notwithstanding these doubts, however, I undertook, at the King's and

Queen's most earnest desire, to get some one to feel the pulse of

Robespierre, for the salvation of these our only palladium to the

constitutional monarchy. To the first application, though made through

the medium of one of his earliest college intimates, Carrier, the wretch

was utterly deaf and insensible. Of this failure I hastened to apprise

Her Majesty. 'Was any, sum,' asked she, 'named as a compensation for

suspending this trial?'--'None,' replied I. 'I had no commands to that

effect.'--'Then let the attempt be renewed, and back it with the argument

of a cheque for a hundred thousand livres on M. Laborde. He has saved my

life and the King's, and, as far as is in my power, I am determined to

save his. Barnave has exposed his life more than any of our unfortunate

friends, and if we can but succeed in saving him, he will speedily be

enabled to save his colleagues. Should the sum I name be insufficient,

my jewels shall be disposed of to make up a larger one. Fly to your

agent, dear Princess! Lose not a moment to intercede in behalf of these

our only true friends!'

"I did so, and was fortunate enough to gain over to my personal

entreaties one who had the courage to propose the business; and a hundred

and fifty thousand livres procured them a suspension of accusation. All,

however, are still watched with such severity of scrutiny that I tremble,

even now, for the result.

[And with reason; for all, eventually, were sacrificed upon the scaffold.

Carrier was the factotum in all the cool, deliberate, sanguinary

operations of Robespierre; when he saw the cheque, he said to the

Princesse de Lamballe: "Madame, though your personal charms and mental

virtues had completely influenced all the authority I could exercise in

favour of your protege, without this interesting argument I should not

have had courage to have renewed the business with the principal agent of

life and death."]

"It was in the midst of such apprehensions, which struck terror into the

hearts of the King and Queen, that the Tuileries resounded with cries of

multitudes hired to renew those shouts of 'Vive le roi! vive la famille

royale!' which were once spontaneous.

"In one of the moments of our deepest affliction, multitudes were

thronging the gardens and enjoying the celebration of the acceptance of

the Constitution. What a contrast to the feelings of the unhappy inmates

of the palace! We may well say, that many an aching heart rides in a

carriage, while the pedestrian is happy!

"The fetes on this occasion were very brilliant. The King, the Queen,

and the Royal Family were invited to take part in this first national

festival. They did so, by appearing in their carriage through the

streets of Paris, and the Champs Elysees, escorted only by the Parisian

guard, there being no other at the time. The mob was so great that the

royal carriage could only keep pace with the foot-passengers.

"Their Majesties were in general well received. The only exceptions were

a few of the Jacobin members of the Assembly, who, even on this occasion,

sought every means to afflict the hearts, and shock the ears, of Their

Majesties, by causing republican principles to be vociferated at the very

doors of their carriage.

"The good sense of the King and Queen prevented them from taking any

notice of these insults while in public; but no sooner had they returned

to the castle, than the Queen gave way to her grief at the premeditated

humiliation she was continually witnessing to the majesty of the

constitutional monarchy,--an insult less to the King himself than to the

nation, which had acknowledged him their Sovereign.

"When the royal party entered the apartment, they found M. de Montmorin

with me, who had come to talk over these matters, secure that at such a

moment we should not be surprised.

"On hearing the Queen's observation, M. de Montmorin made no secret of

the necessity there was of Their Majesties dissembling their feelings;

the avowal of which, he said, would only tend to forward the triumph of

Jacobinism, 'which,' added he, 'I am sorry to see predominates in the

Assembly, and keeps in subordination all the public and private clubs.'

"'What!' exclaimed the Princesse Elizabeth, can that be possible, after

the King has accepted the Constitution?'

"'Yes,' said the Queen; these people, my dear Elizabeth, wish for a

Constitution which sanctions the overthrow of him by whom it has been

granted.'

"'In this,' observed M. de Montmorin, 'as on some other points, I

perfectly agree with Your Majesty and the King, notwithstanding I have

been opposed by the whole Council and many other honest constituent

members, as well as the Cabinet of Vienna. And it is still, as it has

ever been, my firm opinion, that the King ought, previous to the

acceptance of the Constitution, to have been allowed, for the security of

its future organization, to have examined it maturely; which, not having

been the case, I foresee the dangerous situation in which His Majesty

stands, and I foresee, too, the non-promulgation of this charter.

Malouet, who is an honest man, is of my opinion. Duport, De Lameth,

Barnave, and even La Fayette are intimidated at the prevailing spirit of

the Jacobins. They were all with the best intentions for Your Majesty's

present safety, for the acceptance in toto, but without reflecting on the

consequences which must follow should the nation be deceived. But I, who

am, and ever shall be, attached to royalty, regret the step, though I am

clear in my impression as to the only course which ought to succeed it.

The throne can now only be made secure by the most unequivocal frankness

of proceeding on the part of the Crown. It is not enough to have

conceded, it is necessary also to show that the concession has some more

solid origin than mere expediency. It should be made with a good grace.

Every motive of prudence, as well as of necessity, requires that the

monarch himself, and all those most interested for his safety, should,

neither in looks, manners, or conversation, seem as if they felt a regret

for what has been lost, but rather appear satisfied with what has been

bestowed.'

"'In that case,' said the Queen, 'we should lose all the support of the

royalists.'

"'Every royalist, Madame,' replied he, 'who, at this critical crisis,

does not avow the sentiments of a constitutionalist, is a nail in the

King's untimely coffin.'

"'Gracious God !' cried the Queen; 'that would destroy the only hope

which still flatters our drooping existence. Symptoms of moderation, or

any conciliatory measures we might be inclined to show, of our free will,

to the constitutionalists, would be immediately considered as a desertion

of our supporters, and treachery to ourselves, by the royalists.'

"'It would be placed entirely out of my power, Madame,' replied M. de

Montmorin, 'to make my attachment to the persons of Your Majesties

available for the maintenance of your rights, did I permit the factious,

overbearing party which prevails to see into my real zeal for the

restoration of the royal authority, so necessary for their own future

honour, security, and happiness. Could they see this, I should be

accused as a national traitor, or even worse, and sent out of the world

by a sudden death of ignominy, merely to glut their hatred of monarchy;

and it is therefore I dissemble.'

"'I perfectly agree with you,' answered the Queen. That cruel moment

when I witnessed the humiliating state to which royalty had been reduced

by the constituents, when they placed the President of their Assembly

upon a level with the King; gave a plebeian, exercising his functions pro

tempore, prerogatives in the face of the nation to trample down

hereditary monarchy and legislative authority--that cruel moment

discovered the fatal truth. In the anguish of my heart, I told His

Majesty that he had outlived his kingly authority: Here she burst into

tears, hiding her face in her handkerchief.

"With the mildness of a saint, the angelic Princesse Elizabeth exclaimed,

turning to the King, 'Say something to the Queen, to calm her anguish!'

"'It will be of no avail,' said the King; 'her grief adds to my

affliction. I have been the innocent cause of her participating in this

total ruin, and as it is only her fortitude which has hitherto supported

me, with the same philosophical and religious resignation we must await

what fate destines!'

"'Yes,' observed M. de Montmorin; 'but Providence has also given us the

rational faculty of opposing imminent danger, and by activity and

exertion obviating its consequences.'

"'In what manner, sir?' cried the Queen; 'tell me how this is to be

effected, and, with the King's sanction, I am ready to do anything to

avert the storm, which so loudly threatens the august head of the French

nation.'

"'Vienna, Madame,' replied he; 'Vienna! Your Majesty's presence at

Vienna would do more for the King's safety, and the nation's future

tranquillity, than the most powerful army.'

"'We have long since suggested,' said the Princesse Elizabeth, 'that Her

Majesty should fly from France and take refuge----'

"'Pardon me, Princess,' interrupted M. de Montmorin, 'it is not for

refuge solely I would have Her Majesty go thither. It is to give

efficacy to the love she bears the King and his family, in being there

the powerful advocate to check the fallacious march of a foreign army to

invade us for the subjection of the French nation. All these external

attempts will prove abortive, and only tend to exasperate the French to

crime and madness. Here I coincide with my coadjutors, Barnave, Duport,

De Lameth, etc. The principle on which the re-establishment of the order

and tranquillity of France depends, can be effected only by the

non-interference of foreign powers. Let them leave the rational

resources of our own internal force to re-establish our real interests,

which every honest Frenchman will strive to secure, if not thwarted by

the threats and menaces of those who have no right to interfere.

Besides, Madame, they are too far from us to afford immediate relief from

the present dangers internally surrounding us. These are the points of

fearful import. It is not the threats and menaces of a foreign army

which can subdue a nation's internal factions. These only rouse them to

prolong disorders. National commotions can be quelled only by national

spirit, whose fury, once exhausted on those who have aroused it, leave it

free to look within, and work a reform upon itself.'

"M. de Montmorin, after many other prudent exhortations and remarks, and

some advice with regard to the King and Queen's household, took his.

leave. He was no sooner gone than it was decided by the King that Marie

Antoinette, accompanied by myself and some other ladies, and the

gentlemen of the bedchamber, couriers, etc., should set out forthwith for

Vienna.

[The Princease de Lamballe sent me directions that very evening, some

time after midnight, to be at our place of rendezvous early in the

morning. I was overjoyed at the style of the note. It was the least

mysterious I had ever received from Her Highness. I inferred that some

fortunate event had occurred, with which, knowing how deeply I was

interested in the fate of her on whom my own so much depended, she was,

eager to make me acquainted.

But what was my surprise, on entering the church fixed on for the

meeting, to see the Queen's unknown confessor beckoning me to come to

him. I approached. He bade me wait till after Mass, when he had

something to communicate from the Princess.

This confessor officiated in the place of the one whom Mirabeau had

seduced to take the constitutional oath. The Queen and Princess

confessed to him in the private apartment of Her Highness on the ground

floor; though it was never known where, or to whom they confessed, after

the treachery of the royal confessor. This faithful and worthy successor

was only known as "the known." I never heard who he was, or what was his

name.

The Mass being over, I followed him into the sacristy. He told me that

the Princess, by Her Majesty's command, wished me to set off immediately

for Strasburg, and there await the arrival of Her Highness, to be in

readiness to follow her and Her Majesty for the copying of the cipher, as

they were going to Vienna.

When everything, however, had been settled for their departure, which it

was agreed was to take place from the house of Count Fersen, the

resolution was suddenly changed; but I was desired to hold myself in

readiness for another journey.]

"To say why this purpose was abandoned is unnecessary. The same

fatality, which renders every project unattainable, threw insuperable

impediments, in the way of this."

SECTION XII.

"The news of the death of the Emperor Leopold, in the midst of the other

distresses of Her Majesty, afflicted her very deeply; the more so because

she had every reason to think he fell a victim to the active part he took

in her favour. Externally, this monarch certainly demonstrated no very

great inclination to become a member of the coalition of Pilnitz. He

judged, very justly, that his brother Joseph had not only defeated his

own purposes by too openly and violently asserting the cause of their

unfortunate sister, but had destroyed himself, and, therefore, selected

what he deemed the safer and surer course of secret support. But all his

caution proved abortive. The Assembly knew his manoeuvres as well as he

himself did. He died an untimely death; and the Queen was assured, from

undoubted authority, that both Joseph and Leopold were poisoned in their

medicines.

"During my short absence in England, the King's household had undergone a

complete change. When the emigration first commenced, a revolution in

the officers of the Court took place, but it was of a nature different

from this last; and, by destroying itself, left the field open to those

who now made the palace so intolerable. The first change to which I

refer arose as follows:

"The greater part of the high offices being vacated by the secession of

the most distinguished nobility, many places fell to persons who had all

their lives occupied very subordinate situations. These, to retain their

offices, were indiscreet enough publicly to declare their dissent from

all the measures of the Assembly; an absurdity, which, at the

commencement, was encouraged by the Court, till the extreme danger of

encouraging it was discovered too late; and when once the error had been

tolerated, and rewarded, it was found impossible to check it, and stop

these fatal tongues. The Queen, who disliked the character of

capriciousness, for a long time allowed the injury to go on, by

continuing about her those who inflicted it. The error, which arose from

delicacy, was imputed to a very different and less honourable feeling,

till the clamour became so great, that she was obliged to yield to it,

and dismiss those who had acted with so much indiscretion.

"The King and Queen did not dare now to express themselves on the subject

of the substitutes who were to succeed. Consequently they became

surrounded by persons placed by the Assembly as spies. The most

conspicuous situations were filled by the meanest persons--not, as in the

former case, by such as had risen, though by accident, still regularly to

their places--but by myrmidons of the prevailing power, to whom Their

Majesties were compelled to submit, because their rulers willed it. All

orders of nobility were abolished. All the Court ladies, not attached to

the King and Queen personally, abandoned the Court. No one would be seen

at the Queen's card-parties, once so crowded, and so much sought after.

We were entirely reduced to the family circle. The King, when weary of

playing with the Princesse Elizabeth and the Queen, would retire to his

apartments without uttering a word, not from sullenness, but overcome by

silent grief.

"The Queen was occupied continually by the extensive correspondence she

had to carry on with the foreign Sovereigns, the Princes, and the

different parties. Her Majesty once gave me nearly thirty letters she

had written in the course of two days, which were forwarded by my cara

Inglesina--cara indeed! for she was of the greatest service.

"Her Majesty slept very little. But her courage never slackened; and

neither her health, nor her general amiableness, was in the least

affected. Though few persons could be more sensible than herself to

poignant mortification at seeing her former splendour hourly decrease,

yet she never once complained. She was, in this respect, a real stoic.

"The palace was now become, what it still remains, like a police office.

It was filled with spies and runners. Every member of the Assembly, by

some means or other, had his respective emissary. All the antechambers

were peopled by inveterate Jacobins, by those whose greatest pleasure was

to insult the ears and minds of all whom they considered above themselves

in birth, or rank, or virtue. So completely were the decencies of life

abolished, that common respect was withheld even from the Royal Family.

"I was determined to persevere in my usual line of conduct, of which the

King and Queen very much approved. Without setting up for a person of

importance, I saw all who wished for public or private audiences of Their

Majesties. I carried on no intrigues, and only discharged the humble

duties of my situation to the best of my ability for the general good,

and to secure, as far as possible, the comfort of Their Majesties, who

really were to be pitied, utterly friendless and forsaken as they were.

"M. Laporte, the head of the King's private police, came to me one day in

great consternation. He had discovered that schemes were on foot to

poison all the Royal Family, and that, in a private committee of the

Assembly, considerable pensions had been offered for the perpetration of

the crime. Its facility was increased, as far as regarded the Queen, by

the habit to which Her Majesty had accustomed herself of always keeping

powdered sugar at hand, which, without referring to her attendants, she

would herself mix with water and drink as a beverage whenever she was

thirsty.

"I entreated M. Laporte not to disclose the conspiracy to the Queen till

I had myself had an opportunity of apprising her of his praiseworthy

zeal. He agreed, on condition that precautions should be immediately

adopted with respect to the persons who attended the kitchen. This, I

assured him, should be done on the instant.

"At the period I mention, all sorts of etiquette had been abolished. The

custom which prevented my appearing before the Queen, except at stated

hours, had long since been discontinued; and, as all the other

individuals who came before or after the hours of service were eyed with

distrust, and I remained the only one whose access to Their Majesties was

free and unsuspected, though it was very early when M. Laporte called, I

thought it my duty to hasten immediately to my royal mistress.

"I found her in bed. 'Has Your Majesty breakfasted?' said I.

"'No,' replied she; 'will you breakfast with me?'

"'Most certainly,' said I, 'if Your Majesty will insure me against being

poisoned.'

"At the word poison Her Majesty started up and looked at me very

earnestly, and with a considerable degree of alarm.

"'I am only joking,' continued I; 'I will breakfast with Your Majesty if

you will give me tea.'

"Tea was presently brought. 'In this,' said I, 'there is no danger.'

"'What do you mean?' asked Her Majesty.

"'I am ordered,' replied I, taking up a lump of sugar, 'not to drink

chocolate, or coffee, or anything with powdered sugar. These are times

when caution alone can prevent our being sent out of the world with all

our sins upon our heads.'

"'I am very glad to hear you say so; for you have reason to be

particular, after what you once so cruelly suffered from poison. But

what has brought that again into your mind just now?'

"'Well, then, since Your Majesty approves of my circumspection, allow me

to say I think it advisable that we should, at a moment like this

especially, abstain from all sorts of food by which our existence may be

endangered. For my own part, I mean to give up all made dishes, and

confine myself to the simplest diet.'

"'Come, come, Princess,' interrupted Her Majesty; 'there is more in this

than you wish me to understand. Fear not. I am prepared for anything

that may be perpetrated against my own life, but let me preserve from

peril my King, my husband, and my children!'

"My feelings prevented me from continuing to dissemble. I candidly

repeated all I had heard from M. Laporte.

"Her Majesty instantly rang for one of her confidential women. 'Go to

the King,' said Her Majesty to the attendant, 'and if you find him alone,

beg him to come to me at once; but, if there are any of the guards or

other persons within hearing, merely say that the Princesse de Lamballe

is with me and is desirous of the loan of a newspaper.'

"The King's guard, and indeed most of those about him, were no better

than spies, and this caution in the Queen was necessary to prevent any

jealousy from being excited by the sudden message.

"When the messenger left us by ourselves, I observed to Her Majesty that

it would be imprudent to give the least publicity to the circumstance,

for were it really mere suspicion in the head of the police, its

disclosure might only put this scheme into some miscreant's head, and

tempt him to realize it. The Queen said I was perfectly right, and it

should be kept secret.

"Our ambassadress was fortunate enough to reach the King's apartment

unobserved, and to find him unattended, so he received the message

forthwith. On leaving the apartment, however, she was noticed and

watched. She immediately went out of the Tuileries as if sent to make

purchases, and some time afterwards returned with some trifling articles

in her hand.

[This incident will give the reader an idea of the cruel situation in

which the first Sovereigns of Europe then stood; and how much they

appreciated the few subjects who devoted themselves to thwart and

mitigate the tyranny practised by the Assembly over these illustrious

victims. I can speak from my own experience on these matters. From the

time I last accompanied the Princesse de Lamballe to Paris till I left it

in 1792, what between milliners, dressmakers, flower girls, fancy toy

sellers, perfumers, hawkers of jewellery, purse and gaiter makers, etc.,

I had myself assumed twenty different characters, besides that of a

drummer boy, sometimes blackening my face to enter the palace unnoticed,

and often holding conversations analogous to the sentiments of the

wretches who were piercing my heart with the remarks circumstances

compelled me to encourage. Indeed, I can safely say I was known, in some

shape or other, to almost everybody, but to no one in my real character,

except the Princess by whom I was so graciously employed.]

"The moment the King appeared, 'Sire,' exclaimed Her Majesty, 'the

Assembly, tired of endeavouring to wear us to death by slow torment, have

devised an expedient to relieve their own anxiety and prevent us from

putting them to further inconvenience.'

"'What do you mean?' said the King. I repeated my conversation with M.

Laporte. 'Bah! bah!' resumed His Majesty, 'They never will attempt it.

They have fixed on other methods of getting rid of us. They have not

policy enough to allow our deaths to be ascribed to accident. They are

too much initiated in great crimes already.'

"'But,' asked the Queen, 'do you not think it highly necessary to make

use of every precaution, when we are morally sure of the probability of

such a plot?'

"'Most certainly! otherwise we should be, in the eyes of God, almost

guilty of suicide. But how prevent it? surrounded as we are by persons

who, being seduced to believe that we are plotting against them, feel

justified in the commission of any crime under the false idea of

self-defence!'

"'We may prevent it,' replied Her Majesty, 'by abstaining from everything

in our diet wherein poison can be introduced; and that we can manage

without making any stir by the least change either in the kitchen

arrangements or in our own, except, indeed, this one. Luckily, as we are

restricted in our attendants, we have a fair excuse for dumb waiters,

whereby it will be perfectly easy to choose or discard without exciting

suspicion.'

"This, consequently, was the course agreed upon; and every possible

means, direct and indirect, was put into action to secure the future

safety of the Royal Family and prevent the accomplishment of the threat

of poison."

[On my seeing the Princess next morning, Her Highness condescended to

inform me of the danger to which herself and the Royal Family were

exposed. She requested I would send my man servant to the persons who

served me, to fill a moderate-sized hamper with wine, salt, chocolate,

biscuits, and liquors, and take it to her apartment, at the Pavilion of

Flora, to be used as occasion required. All the fresh bread and butter

which was necessary I got made for nearly a fortnight by persons whom I

knew at a distance from the palace, whither I always conveyed it myself.]

SECTION XIII.

Editor in continuation:

I am again, for this and the following chapter, compelled to resume the

pen in my own person, and quit the more agreeable office of a transcriber

for my illustrious patroness.

I have already mentioned that the Princesse de Lamballe, on first

returning from England to France, anticipated great advantages from the

recall of the emigrants. The desertion of France by so many of the

powerful could not but be a deathblow to the prosperity of the monarchy.

There was no reason for these flights at the time they began. The

fugitives only set fire to the four quarters of the globe against their

country. It was natural enough that the servants whom they had left

behind to keep their places should take advantage of their masters'

pusillanimity, and make laws to exclude those who had, uncalled for,

resigned the sway into bolder and more active hands.

I do not mean to impeach the living for the dead; but, when we see those

bearing the lofty titles of Kings and Princesses, escaping with their

wives and families, from an only brother and sister with helpless infant

children, at the hour of danger, we cannot help wishing for a little

plebeian disinterestedness in exalted minds.

I have travelled Europe twice, and I have never seen any woman with that

indescribable charm of person, manner, and character, which distinguished

Marie Antoinette. This is in itself a distinction quite sufficient to

detach friends from its possessor through envy. Besides, she was Queen

of France, the woman of highest rank in a most capricious, restless and

libertine nation. The two Princesses placed nearest to her, and who were

the first to desert her, though both very much inferior in personal and

mental qualifications, no doubt, though not directly, may have

entertained some anticipations of her place. Such feelings are not

likely to decrease the distaste, which results from comparisons to our

own disadvantage. It is, therefore, scarcely to be wondered at, that

those nearest to the throne should be least attached to those who fill

it. How little do such persons think that the grave they are thus

insensibly digging may prove their own! In this case it only did not by

a miracle. What the effect of the royal brothers' and the nobility's

remaining in France would have been we can only conjecture. That their

departure caused, great and irreparable evils we know; and we have good

reason to think they caused the greatest. Those who abandon their houses

on fire, silently give up their claims to the devouring element. Thus

the first emigration kindled the French flame, which, though for a while

it was got under by a foreign stream, was never completely, extinguished

till subdued by its native current.

The unfortunate Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette ceased to be Sovereigns

from the period they were ignominiously dragged to their jail at the

Tuileries. From this moment they were abandoned to the vengeance of

miscreants, who were disgracing the nation with unprovoked and useless

murders. But from this moment also the zeal of the Princesses Elizabeth

and de Lamballe became redoubled. Out of one hundred individuals and

more, male and female, who had been exclusively occupied about the person

of Marie Antoinette, few, excepting this illustrious pair, and the

inestimable Clery, remained devoted to the last. The saint-like virtues

of these Princesses, malice itself has not been able to tarnish. Their

love and unalterable friendship became the shield of their unfortunate

Sovereigns, and their much injured relatives, till the dart struck their

own faithful bosoms. Princes of the earth! here is a lesson of

greatness from the great.

Scarcely had the Princesse de Lamballe been reinstated in the Pavilion of

Flora at the Tuileries, when, by the special royal command, and in Her

Majesty's presence, she wrote to most of the nobility, entreating their

return to France. She urged them, by every argument, that there was no

other means of saving them and their country from the horrors impending

over them and France, should they persevere in their pernicious absence.

In some of these letters, which I copied, there was written on the

margin, in the Queen's hand, "I am at her elbow, and repeat the necessity

of your returning, if you love your King, your religion, your Government,

and your country. Marie Antoinette. Return! Return! Return!"

Among these letters, I remember a large envelope directed to the Duchesse

de Brisac, then residing alternately at the baths of Albano and the

mineral waters at Valdagno, near Vicenza, in the Venetian States. Her

Grace was charged to deliver letters addressed to Her Majesty's royal

brothers, the Comte de Provence, and the Comte d'Artois, who were then

residing, I think, at Stra, on the Brenta, in company with Madame de

Polcatre, Diane de Polignac, and others.

A few days after, I took another envelope, addressed to the Count Dufour,

who was at Turin. It contained letters for M. and Madame de Polignac, M.

and Madame de Guiche Grammont, the King's aunts at Rome, and the two

Princesses of Piedmont, wives of His Majesty's brothers.

If, therefore, a judgment can be formed from the impressions of the Royal

Family, who certainly must have had ample information with respect to the

spirit which predominated at Paris at that period, could the nobility

have been prevailed on to have obeyed the mandates of the Queen and

prayers and invocations of the Princess, there can be no doubt that much

bloodshed would have been spared, and the page of history never have been

sullied by the atrocious names which now stand there as beacons of human

infamy.

The storms were now so fearfully increasing that the King and Queen, the

Duc de Penthievre, the Count Fersen, the Princesse Elizabeth, the

Duchesse d'Orleans, and all the friends of the Princesse de Lamballe,

once more united in anxious wishes for her to quit France. Even the Pope

himself endeavoured to prevail upon Her Highness to join the royal aunts

at Rome. To all these applications she replied, "I have nothing to

reproach myself with. If my inviolable duty and unalterable attachment

to my Sovereigns, who are my relations and my friends; if love for my

dear father and for my adopted country are crimes, in the face of God and

the world I confess my guilt, and shall die happy if in such a cause!"

The Duc de Penthievre, who loved her as well as his own child, the

Duchesse d'Orleans, was too good a man, and too conscientious a Prince,

not to applaud the disinterested firmness of his beloved daughter-in-law;

yet, foreseeing and dreading the fatal consequence which must result from

so much virtue at a time when vice alone predominated, unknown to the

Princesse de Lamballe, he interested the Court of France to write to the

Court of Sardinia to entreat that the King, as head of her family, would

use his good offices in persuading the Princess to leave the scenes of

commotion, in which she was so much exposed, and return to her native

country. The King of Sardinia, her family, and her particular friend,

the Princess of Piedmont, supplicated ineffectually. The answer of Her

Highness to the King, at Turin, was as follows:

"SIRE, AND MOST AUGUST COUSIN,--

"I do not recollect that any of our illustrious ancestors of the house of

Savoy, before or since the great hero Charles Emmanuel, of immortal

memory, ever dishonoured or tarnished their illustrious names with

cowardice. In leaving the Court of France at this awful crisis, I should

be the first. Can Your Majesty pardon my presumption in differing from

your royal counsel? The King, Queen, and every member of the Royal

Family of France, both from the ties of blood and policy of States,

demand our united efforts in their defence. I cannot swerve from my

determination of never quitting them, especially at a moment when they

are abandoned by every one of their former attendants, except myself. In

happier days Your Majesty may command my obedience; but, in the present

instance, and given up as is the Court of France to their most atrocious

persecutors, I must humbly insist on being guided by my own decision.

During the most brilliant period of the reign of Marie Antoinette, I was

distinguished by the royal favour and bounty. To abandon her in

adversity, Sire, would stain my character, and that of my illustrious

family, for ages to come, with infamy and cowardice, much more to be

dreaded than the most cruel death."

Similar answers were returned to all those of her numerous friends and

relatives, who were so eager to shelter her from the dangers threatening

Her Highness and the Royal Family.

Her Highness was persuaded, however, to return once more to England,

under the pretext of completing the mission she had so successfully

began; but it is very clear that neither the King or Queen had any

serious idea of her succeeding, and that their only object was to get her

away from the theatre of disaster. Circumstances had so completely

changed for the worst, that, though Her Highness was received with great

kindness, her mission was no longer listened to. The policy of England

shrunk from encouraging twenty thousand French troops to be sent in a

body to the West Indies, and France was left to its fate. A conversation

with Mr. Burke, in which the disinclination of England to interfere was

distinctly owned, created that deep-rooted grief and apprehension in the

mind of the Queen from which Her Majesty never recovered. The Princesse

de Lamballe was the only one in her confidence. It is well known that

the King of England greatly respected the personal virtues of Their

French Majesties; but upon the point of business, both King and Ministers

were now become ambiguous and evasive. Her Highness, therefore, resolved

to return. It had already been whispered that she had left France, only

to save herself, like the rest; and she would no longer remain under so

slanderous an imputation. She felt, too, the necessity of her friendship

to her royal mistress. Though the Queen of England, by whom Her Highness

was very much esteemed, and many other persons of the first consequence

in the British nation, foreseeing the inevitable fate of the Royal

Family, and of all their faithful adherents, anxiously entreated her not

to quit England, yet she became insensible to every consideration as to

her own situation and only felt the isolated one of her august Sovereign,

her friend, and benefactress.

SECTION XIV.

Editor in continuation:

Events seemed molded expressly to produce the state of feeling which

marked that disastrous day, the 20th of June, 1792. It frequently

happens that nations, like individuals, rush wildly upon the very dangers

they apprehend, and select such courses as invite what they are most

solicitous to avoid. So it was with everything preceding this dreadful

day. By a series of singular occurrences I did not witness its horrors,

though in some degree their victim. Not to detain my readers

unnecessarily, I will proceed directly to the accident which withdrew me

from the scene.

The apartment of the Princesse de Lamballe, in the Pavilion of Flora,

looked from one side upon the Pont Royal. On the day of which I speak, a

considerable quantity of combustibles had been thrown from the bridge

into one of her rooms. The Princess, in great alarm, sent instantly for

me. She desired to have my English man servant, if he were not afraid,

secreted in her room, while she herself withdrew to another part of the

palace, till the extent of the intended mischief could be ascertained. I

assured Her Highness that I was not only ready to answer for my servant,

but would myself remain with him, as he always went armed, and I was so

certain of his courage and fidelity that I could not hesitate even to

trust my life in his hands.

"For God's sake, 'mia cara'," exclaimed the Princess, "do not risk your

own safety, if you have any value for my friendship. I desire you not to

go near the Pavilion of Flora. Your servant's going is quite sufficient.

Never again let me hear such a proposition. What! after having hitherto

conducted yourself so punctually, would you, by one rash act, devote

yourself to ruin, and deprive us of your valuable services?"

I begged Her Highness would pardon the ardour of the dutiful zeal I felt

for her in the moment of danger.

"Yes, yes," continued she; "that is all very well; but this is not the

first time I have been alarmed at your too great intrepidity; and if ever

I hear of your again attempting to commit yourself so wantonly, I will

have you sent to Turin immediately, there to remain till you have

recovered your senses. I always thought English heads cool; but I

suppose your residence in France has changed the national character of

yours."

Once more, with tears in my eyes, I begged her forgiveness, and, on my

knees, implored that she would not send me away in the hour of danger.

After having so long enjoyed the honour of her confidence, I trusted she

would overlook my fault, particularly as it was the pure emanation of my

resentment at any conspiracy against one I so dearly loved; and to whom I

had been under so many obligations, that the very idea of being deprived

of such a benefactress drove me frantic.

Her Highness burst into tears. "I know your heart," exclaimed she; "but

I also know too well our situation, and it is that which makes me tremble

for the consequences which must follow your overstepping the bounds so

necessary to be observed by all of us at this horrid period." And then

she called me again her cars 'Inglesina', and graciously condescended to

embrace me, and bathed my face with her tears, in token of her

forgiveness, and bade me sit down and compose myself, and weep no more.

Scarcely was I seated, when we were both startled by deafening shouts for

the head of Madame Veto, the name they gave the poor unfortunate Queen.

An immense crowd of cannibals and hired ruffians were already in the

Tuileries, brandishing all sorts of murderous weapons, and howling for

blood! My recollections from this moment are very indistinct. I know

that in an instant the apartment was filled; that the Queen, the

Princesse Elizabeth, all the attendants, even the King, I believe,

appeared there. I myself received a wound upon my hand in warding a blow

from my face; and in the turmoil of the scene, and of the blow, I

fainted, and was conveyed by some humane person to a place of safety, in

the upper part of the palace.

Thus deprived of my senses for several hours, I was spared the agony of

witnessing the scenes of horror that succeeded. For two or three days I

remained in a state of so much exhaustion and alarm, that when the

Princess came to me I did not know her, nor even where I was.

As soon as I was sufficiently recovered, places were taken for me and

another person in one of the common diligences, by which I was conveyed

to Passy, where the Princess came to me in the greatest confusion.

My companion in the palace was the widow of one of the Swiss guards, who

had been murdered on the 6th of October, in defending the Queen's

apartment at Versailles. The poor woman had been herself protected by

Her Majesty, and accompanied me by the express order of the Princesse de

Lamballe. What the Princess said to her on departing, I know not, for I

only caught the words "general insurrection," on hearing which the

afflicted woman fell into a fit. To me, Her Highness merely exclaimed,

"Do not come to Paris till you hear from me;" and immediately set off to

return to the Tuileries.

However, as usual, my courage soon got the better of my strength, and of

every consideration of personal safety. On the third day, I proposed to

the person who took care of me that we should both walk out together,

and, if there appeared no symptoms of immediate danger, it was agreed

that we might as well get into one of the common conveyances, and proceed

forthwith to Paris; for I could no longer repress my anxiety to learn

what was going on there, and the good creature who was with me was no

less impatient.

When we got into a diligence, I felt the dread of another severe lecture

like the last, and thought it best not to incur fresh blame by new

imprudence. I therefore told the driver to set us down on the high road

near Paris leading to the Bois de Boulogne. But before we got so far,

the woods resounded with the howling of mobs, and we heard, "Vive le roi"

vociferated, mingled with "Down with the King,"--"Down with the Queen;"

and, what was still more horrible, the two parties were in actual bloody

strife, and the ground was strewn with the bodies of dead men, lying like

slaughtered sheep.

It was fortunate that we were the only persons in the vehicle. The

driver, observing our extreme agitation, turned round to us. "Nay, nay,"

cried he; "do not alarm yourselves. It is only the constitutionalists

and the Jacobins fighting against each other. I wish the devil had them

both."

It was evident, however, that, though the man was desirous of quieting

our apprehensions, he was considerably disturbed by his own; for though

he acknowledged he had a wife and children in Paris, who he hoped were

safe, still he dared not venture to proceed, but said, if we wished to be

driven back, he would take us to any place we liked, out of Paris.

Our anxiety to know what was going forward at the Tuileries was now

become intolerable; and the more so, from the necessity we felt of

restraining our feelings. At last, however, we were in some degree

relieved from this agony of reserve.

"God knows," exclaimed the driver, "what will be the consequence of all

this bloodshed! The poor King and Queen are greatly to be pitied!"

This ejaculation restored our courage, and we said he might drive us

wherever he chose out of the sight of those horrors; and it was at length

settled that he should take us to Passy. "Oh," cried he, "if you will

allow me, I will take you to my father's house there; for you seem more

dead than alive, both of you, and ought to go where you can rest in quiet

and safety."

My companion, who was a German, now addressed me in that language.

"German!" exclaimed the driver on hearing her. "German! Why, I am a

German myself, and served the good King, who is much to be pitied, for

many years; and when I was wounded, the Queen, God bless her! set me up

in the world, as I was made an invalid; and I have ever since been

enabled to support my family respectably. D---- the Assembly! I shall

never be a farthing the better for them!"

"Oh," replied I, "then I suppose you are not a Jacobin?"

The driver, with a torrent of curses, then began execrating the very name

of Jacobin. This emboldened me to ask him when he had left Paris. He

replied, "Only this very morning," and added that the Assembly had shut

the gates of the Tuileries under the pretence of preventing the King and

Queen from being assassinated. "But that is all a confounded lie,"

continued he, "invented to keep out the friends of the Royal Family. But,

God knows, they are now so fallen, they have few such left to be turned

away!"

"I am more enraged," pursued he, "at the ingratitude of the nobility than

I am at these hordes of bloodthirsty plunderers, for we all know that the

nobility owe everything to the King. Why do they not rise en masse to

shield the Royal Family from these bloodhounds? Can they imagine they

will be spared if the King should be murdered? I have no patience with

them!"

I then asked him our fare. "Two livres is the fare, but you shall not

pay anything. I see plainly, ladies, that you are not what you assume to

be."

"My good man," replied I, "we are not; and therefore take this louis d'or

for your trouble."

He caught my hand and pressed it to his lips, exclaiming, "I never in my

life knew a man who was faithful to his King, that God did not provide

for."

He then took us to Passy, but advised us not to remain at the place where

we had been staying; and fortunate enough it was for us that we did not,

for the house was set on fire and plundered by a rebel mob very soon

after.

I told the driver how much I was obliged to him for his services, and he

seemed delighted when I promised to give him proofs of my confidence in

his fidelity.

"If," said I, "you can find out my servant whom I left in Paris, I will

give you another louis d'or." I was afraid, at first, to mention where

he was to look for him.

"If he be not dead," replied the driver, "I will find him out."

"What!" cried I, "even though he should be at the Tuileries?"

"Why, madame, I am one of the national guard. I have only to put on my

uniform to be enabled to go to any part of the palace I please. Tell me

his name, and where you think it likely he may be found, and depend upon

it I will bring him to you."

"Perhaps," continued he, "it is your husband disguised as a servant; but

no matter. Give me a clue, and I'll warrant you he shall tell you the

rest himself by this time to-morrow."

"Well, then," replied I, "he is in the Pavilion of Flora."

"What, with the Princesse de Lamballe? Oh, I would go through fire and

water for that good Princess! She has done me the honour to stand

godmother to one of my children, and allows her a pension."

I took him at his word. We changed our quarters to his father's house, a

very neat little cottage, about a quarter of a mile from the town. He

afterwards rendered me many services in going to and fro from Passy to

Paris; and, as he promised, brought me my servant.

When the poor fellow arrived, his arm was in a sling. He had been

wounded by a musket shot, received in defence of the Princess. The

history of his disaster was this:

On the night of the riot, as he was going from the Pont Royal to the

apartment of Her Highness, he detected a group of villains under her

windows. Six of them were attempting to enter by a ladder. He fired,

and two fell. While he was reloading, the others shot at him. Had he

not, in the flurry of the moment, fired both his pistols at the same

time, he thinks he should not have been wounded, but might have punished

the assailant. One of the men, he said, could have been easily taken by

the national guard, who so glaringly encouraged the escape that he could

almost swear the guard was a party concerned. The loss of blood had so

exhausted him that he could not pursue the offender himself, whom

otherwise he could have taken without any difficulty.

As the employing of my servant had only been proposed, and the sudden

interruption of my conversation with Her Highness by the riot had

prevented my ever communicating the project to him, I wondered how he got

into the business, or ascertained so soon that the apartment of the

Princess was in danger. He explained that he never had heard of its

being so; but my own coachman having left me at the palace that day, and

not hearing of me for some time, had driven home, and, fearing that my

not returning arose from something which had happened, advised him to go

to the Pont Royal and hear what he could learn, as there was a report of

many persons having been murdered and thrown over the bridge.

My man took the advice, and armed himself to be ready in case of attack.

It was between one and two o'clock after midnight when he went. The

first objects he perceived were these miscreants attempting to scale the

palace.

He told me that the Queen had been most grossly insulted; that the gates

of the Tuileries had been shut in consequence; that a small part alone

remained open to the public, who were kept at their distance by a

national ribbon, which none could pass without being instantly arrested.

This had prevented his apprising the Princess of the attempt which he had

accidentally defeated, and which he wished me to communicate to her

immediately. I did so by letter, which my good driver carried to Paris,

and delivered safe into the hands of our benefactress.

The surprise of the Princess on hearing from me, and her pleasure at my

good fortune in finding by accident such means, baffles all description.

Though she was at the time overwhelmed with the imminent dangers which

threatened her, yet she still found leisure to show her kindness to those

who were doing their best, though in vain, to serve her. The following

letter, which she sent me in reply, written amidst all the uneasiness it

describes, will speak for her more eloquently than my praises:

"I can understand your anxiety. It was well for you that you were

unconscious of the dreadful scenes which were passing around you on that

horrid day. The Princesse de Tarente, Madame de Tourzel, Madame de

Mockau, and all the other ladies of the household owed the safety of

their lives to one of the national guards having given his national

cockade to the Queen. Her Majesty placed it on her head, unperceived by

the mob. One of the gentlemen of the King's wardrobe provided the King

and the Princesse Elizabeth with the same impenetrable shield. Though

the cannibals came for murder, I could not but admire the enthusiastic

deference that was shown to this symbol of authority, which instantly

paralyzed, the daggers uplifted for our extermination.

"Merlin de Thionville was the stoic head of this party. The Princesse

Elizabeth having pointed him out to me, I ventured to address him

respecting the dangerous situation to which the Royal Family were daily

exposed. I flattered him upon his influence over the majority of the

faubourgs, to which only we could look for the extinction of these

disorders. He replied that the despotism of the Court had set a bad

example to the people; that he felt for the situation of the royal party

as individuals, but he felt much more for the safety of the French

nation, who were in still greater danger than Their Majesties had to

dread, from the Austrian faction, by which a foreign army had been

encouraged to invade the territory of France, where they were now waiting

the opportunity of annihilating French liberty forever!

"To this Her Majesty replied, 'When the deputies of the Assembly have

permitted, nay, I may say, encouraged this open violation of the King's

asylum, and, by their indifference to the safety of all those who

surround us, have sanctioned the daily insults to which we have been, and

still are, exposed, it is not to be wondered, at that all Sovereigns

should consider it their interest to make common cause with us, to crush

internal commotions, levelled, not only against the throne, and the

persons of the Sovereign and his family, but against the very principle

of monarchy itself.'

"Here the King, though much intimidated for the situation of the Queen

and his family, for whose heads the wretches were at that very moment

howling in their ears, took up the conversation.

"'These cruel facts,' said he, 'and the menacing situation you even now

witness, fully justify our not rejecting foreign aid, though God knows

how deeply I deplore the necessity of such a cruel resource! But, when

all internal measures of conciliation have been trodden under foot, and

the authorities, who ought to check it and protect us from these cruel

outrages, are only occupied in daily fomenting the discord between us and

our subjects; though a forlorn hope, what other hope is there of safety?

I foresee the drift of all these commotions, and am resigned; but what

will become of this misguided nation, when the head of it shall be

destroyed?'

"Here the King, nearly choked by his feelings, was compelled to pause for

a moment, and he then proceeded.

"'I should not feel it any sacrifice to give up the guardianship of the

nation, could I, in so doing, insure its future tranquillity; but I

foresee that my blood, like that of one of my unhappy brother

Sovereigns,--[Charles the First, of England.]--will only open the

flood-gates of human misery, the torrent of which, swelled with the best

blood of France, will deluge this once peaceful realm.'

"This, as well as I can recollect, is the substance of what passed at the

castle on this momentous day. Our situation was extremely doubtful, and

the noise and horrid riots were at times so boisterous, that frequently

we could not, though so near them, distinguish a word the King and Queen

said; and yet, whenever the leaders of these organized ruffians spoke or

threatened, the most respectful stillness instantly prevailed.

"I weep in silence for misfortunes, which I fear are inevitable! The

King, the Queen, the Princesse Elizabeth and myself, with many others

under this unhappy roof, have never ventured to undress or sleep in bed,

till last night. None of us any longer reside on the ground floor.

"By the very manly exertions of some of the old officers incorporated in

the national army, the awful riot I have described was overpowered, and

the mob, with difficulty, dispersed. Among these, I should particularize

Generals de Vomenil, de Mandat, and de Roederer. Principally by their

means the interior of the Tuileries was at last cleared, though partial

mobs, such as you have often witnessed, still subsist.

"I am thus particular in giving you a full account of this last

revolutionary commotion, that your prudence may still keep you at a

distance from the vortex. Continue where you are, and tell your man

servant how much I am obliged to him, and, at the same time, how much I

am grieved at his being wounded! I knew nothing of the affair but from

your letter and your faithful messenger. He is an old pensioner of mine,

and a good honest fellow. You may depend on him. Serve yourself,

through him, in communicating with me. Though he has had a limited

education, he is not wanting in intellect. Remember that honesty, in

matters of such vital import, is to be trusted before genius.

"My apartment appears like a barrack, like a bear garden, like anything

but what it was! Numbers of valuable things have been destroyed, numbers

carried off. Still, notwithstanding all the horrors of these last days,

it delights me to be able to tell you that no one in the service of the

Royal Family failed in duty at this dreadful crisis. I think we may

firmly rely on the inviolable attachment of all around us. No jealousy,

no considerations of etiquette, stood in the way of their exertions to

show themselves worthy of the situations they hold. The Queen showed the

greatest intrepidity during the whole of these trying scenes.

"At present, I can say no more. Petion, the Mayor of Paris, has just

been announced; and, I believe, he wishes for an audience of Her Majesty,

though he never made his appearance during the whole time of the riots in

the palace. Adieu, mia cara Inglesina!"

The receipt of this letter, however it might have affected me to hear

what Her Highness suffered, in common with the rest of the unfortunate

royal inmates of the Tuileries, gave me extreme pleasure from the

assurance it contained of the firmness of those nearest to the sufferers.

I was also sincerely gratified in reflecting on the probity and

disinterested fidelity of this worthy man, which contrasted him, so

strikingly and so advantageously to himself, with many persons of birth

and education, whose attachment could not stand the test of the trying

scenes of the Revolution, which made them abandon and betray, where they

had sworn an allegiance to which they were doubly bound by gratitude.

My man servant was attended, and taken the greatest care of. The

Princess never missed a day in sending to inquire after his health; and,

on his recovery, the Queen herself not only graciously condescended to

see him, but, besides making him a valuable present, said many flattering

and obliging things of his bravery and disinterestedness.

I should scarcely have deemed these particulars honourable as they are to

the feelings of the illustrious personages from whom they

proceeded--worth mentioning in a work of this kind, did they not give

indications of character rarely to be met with (and, in their case, how

shamefully rewarded!), from having occurred at a crisis when their minds

were occupied in affairs of such deep importance, and amidst the

appalling dangers which hourly threatened their own existence.

Her Majesty's correspondence with foreign Courts had been so much

increased by these scenes of horror, especially her correspondence with

her relations in Italy, that, ere long, I was sent for back to Paris.

SECTION XV.

Journal of the Princess resumed and concluded:

"The insurrection of the 20th of June, and the uncertain state of the

safety of the Royal Family, menaced as it was by almost daily riots,

induced a number of well-disposed persons to prevail on General La

Fayette to leave his army and come to Paris, and there personally

remonstrate against these outrages. Had he been sincere he would have

backed the measure by appearing at the head of his army, then

well-disposed, as Cromwell did when he turned out the rogues who were

seeking the Lord through the blood of their King, and put the keys in his

pocket. Violent disorders require violent remedies. With an army and a

few pieces of cannon at the door of the Assembly, whose members were

seeking the aid of the devil, for the accomplishment of their horrors, he

might, as was done when the same scene occurred in England in 1668, by

good management; have averted the deluge of blood. But, by appearing

before the Assembly isolated, without 'voila mon droit,' which the King

of Prussia had had engraven on his cannon, he lost the opinion of all

parties.

[In this instance the general grossly committed himself, in the opinion

of every impartial observer of his conduct. He should never have shown

himself in the capital, but at the head of his army. France,

circumstanced as it was, torn by intestine commotion, was only to be

intimidated by the sight of a popular leader at the head of his forces.

Usurped authority can only be quashed by the force of legitimate

authority. La Fayette being the only individual in France that in

reality possessed such an authority, not having availed himself at a

crisis like the one in which he was called upon to act, rendered his

conduct doubtful, and all his intended operations suspicious to both

parties, whether his feelings were really inclined to prop up the fallen

kingly authority, or his newly-acquired republican principles prompted

him to become the head of the democratical party, for no one can see into

the hearts of men; his popularity from that moment ceased to exist.]

"La Fayette came to the palace frequently, but the King would never see

him. He was obliged to return, with the additional mortification of

having been deceived in his expected support from the national guard of

Paris, whose pay had been secretly trebled by the National Assembly, in

order to secure them to itself. His own safety, therefore, required that

he should join the troops under his command. He left many persons in

whom he thought he could confide; among whom were some who came to me one

day requesting I would present them to the Queen without loss of time, as

a man condemned to be shot had confessed to his captain that there was a

plot laid to murder Her Majesty that very night.

"I hastened to the royal apartment, without mentioning the motive; but

some such catastrophe was no more than what we incessantly expected, from

the almost hourly changes of the national guard, for the real purpose of

giving easy access to all sorts of wretches to the very rooms of the

unfortunate Queen, in order to furnish opportunities for committing the

crime with impunity.

"After I had seen the Queen, the applicants were introduced, and, in my

presence, a paper was handed by them to Her Majesty. At the moment she

received it, I was obliged to leave her for the purpose of watching an

opportunity for their departure unobserved. These precautions were

necessary with regard to every person who came to us in the palace,

otherwise the jealousy of the Assembly and its emissaries and the

national guard of the interior might have been alarmed, and we should

have been placed under express and open surveillance. The confusion

created by the constant change of guard, however, stood us in good stead

in this emergency. Much passing and repassing took place unheeded in the

bustle.

"When the visitors had departed, and Her Majesty at one window of the

palace, and I at another, had seen them safe over the Pont Royal, I

returned to Her Majesty. She then graciously handed me the paper which

they had presented.

"It contained an earnest supplication, signed by many thousand good

citizens, that the King and Queen would sanction the plan of sending the

Dauphin to the army of La Fayette. They pledged themselves, with the

assistance of the royalists, to rescue the Royal Family. They, urged

that if once the King could be persuaded to show himself at the head of

his army, without taking any active part, but merely for his own safety

and that of his family, everything might be accomplished with the

greatest tranquillity.

"The Queen exclaimed, 'What! send my child! No! never while I breathe!

[Little did this unfortunate mother think that they, who thus pretended

to interest themselves for this beautiful, angelic Prince only a few

months before, would, when she was in her horrid prison after the

butchery of her husband, have required this only comfort to be violently

torn from her maternal arms!

Little, indeed, did she think, when her maternal devotedness thus

repelled the very thought of his being trusted to myriads of sworn

defenders, how soon he would be barbarously consigned by the infamous

Assembly as the foot-stool of the inhuman savage cobbler, Simon, to be

the night-boy of the excrements of the vilest of the works of human

nature!]

Yet were I an independent Queen, or the regent of a minority, I feel that

I should be inclined to accept the offer, to place myself at the head of

the army, as my immortal mother did, who, by that step, transmitted the

crown of our ancestors to its legitimate descendants. It is the monarchy

itself which now requires to be asserted. Though D'ORLEANS is actively

engaged in attempting the dethronement of His Majesty, I do not think the

nation will submit to such a Prince, or to any other monarchical

government, if the present be decidedly destroyed.

"'All these plans, my dear Princess,' continued she, 'are mere castles in

the air. The mischief is too deeply rooted. As they have already

frantically declared for the King's abdication, any strong measure now,

incompetent as we are to assure its success, would at once arm the

advocates of republicanism to proclaim the King's dethronement.

"'The cruel observations of Petion to His Majesty, on our ever memorable

return from Varennes, have made a deeper impression than you are aware

of. When the King observed to him, "What do the French nation want?"--"A

republic," replied he. And though he has been the means of already

costing us some thousands, to crush this unnatural propensity, yet I

firmly believe that he himself is at the head of all the civil disorders

fomented for its attainment. I am the more confirmed in this opinion

from a conversation I had with the good old man, M. De Malesherbes, who

assured me the great sums we were lavishing on this man were thrown away,

for he would be certain, eventually, to betray us: and such an inference

could only have been drawn from the lips of the traitor himself. Petion

must have given Malesherbes reason to believe this. I am daily more and

more convinced it will be the case. Yet, were I to show the least energy

or activity in support of the King's authority, I should then be accused

of undermining it. All France would be up in arms against the danger of

female influence. The King would only be lessened in the general opinion

of the nation, and the kingly authority still more weakened. Calm

submission to His Majesty is, therefore, the only safe, course for both

of us, and we must wait events.'

"While Her Majesty was thus opening her heart to me, the King and

Princesse Elizabeth entered, to inform her that M. Laporte, the head of

the private police, had discovered, and caused to be arrested, some of

the wretches who had maliciously attempted to fire the palace of the

Tuileries.

"'Set them at liberty!' exclaimed Her Majesty; 'or, to clear themselves

and their party, they will accuse us of something worse.'

"'Such, too, is my opinion, Sire,' observed I; 'for however I abhor their

intentions, I have here a letter from one of these miscreants which was

found among the combustibles. It cautions us not to inhabit the upper

part of the Pavilion. My not having paid the attention which was

expected to the letter, has aroused the malice of the writer, and caused

a second attempt to be made from the Pont Royal upon my own apartment; in

preventing which, a worthy man has been cruelly wounded in the arm.'

"'Merciful Heaven!' exclaimed the poor Queen and the Princesse Elizabeth,

I not dangerously, I hope!

"'I hope not,' added I; 'but the attempt, and its escaping unpunished,

though there were guards all around, is a proof how perilous it will be,

while we are so weak, to kindle their rancour by any show of impotent

resentment; for I have reason to believe it was to that, the want of

attention to the letter of which I speak was imputed.'

"The Queen took this opportunity, of laying before the King the

above-mentioned plan. His Majesty, seeing it in the name of La Fayette,

took up the paper, and, after he had attentively perused it, tore it in

pieces, exclaiming, 'What! has not M. La Fayette done mischief enough

yet, but must he even expose the names of so many worthy men by

committing them to paper at a critical period like this, when he is fully

aware that we are in immediate danger of being assailed by a banditti of

inhuman cannibals, who would sacrifice every individual attached to us,

if, unfortunately, such a paper should be found? I am determined to have

nothing to do with his ruinous plans. Popularity and ambition made him

the principal promoter of republicanism. Having failed of becoming a

Washington, he is mad to become a Cromwell. I have no faith in these

turncoat constitutionalists.'

"I know that the Queen heartily concurred in this sentiment concerning

General La Fayette, as soon as she ascertained his real character, and

discovered that he considered nothing paramount to public notoriety. To

this he had sacrificed the interest of his country, and trampled under

foot the throne; but finding he could not succeed in forming a Republican

Government in France as he had in America, he, like many others, lost his

popularity with the demagogues, and, when too late, came to offer his

services, through me, to the Queen, to recruit a monarchy which his

vanity had undermined to gratify, his chimerical ambition. Her Majesty

certainly saw him frequently, but never again would she put herself in

the way of being betrayed by one whom she considered faithless to all."

[Thus ended the proffered services of General La Fayette, who then took

the command of the national army, served against that of the Prince de

Conde, and the Princes of his native country, and was given up with

General Bournonville, De Lameth, and others, by General Dumourier, on the

first defeat of the French, to the Austrians, by whom they were sent to

the fortress of Olmutz in Hungary, where they remained till after the

death of the wretch Robespierre, when they were exchanged for the

Duchesse d'Angouleme, now Dauphine of France.

From the retired life led by General La Fayette on his return to France,

there can be but little doubt that he spent a great part of his time in

reflecting on the fatal errors of his former conduct, as he did not

coincide with any of the revolutionary principles which preceded the

short-lived reign of imperialism. But though Napoleon too well knew him

to be attached from principle to republicanism--every vestige of which he

had long before destroyed--to employ him in any military capacity, still

he recalled him from his hiding-place, in order to prevent his doing

mischief, as he politically did--every other royalist whom he could bring

under the banners of his imperialism.

Had Napoleon made use of his general knowledge of mankind in other

respects, as he politically did in France over his conquered subjects, in

respecting ancient habits, and gradually weaned them from their natural

prejudices instead of violently forcing all men to become Frenchmen, all

men would have fought for him, and not against him. These were the

weapons by which his power became annihilated, and which, in the end,

will be the destruction of all potentates who presume to follow his

fallacious plan of forming individuals to a system instead of

accommodating systems to individuals. The fruits from Southern climes

have been reared in the North, but without their native virtue or vigour.

It is more dangerous to attack the habits of men than their religion.

The British Constitution, though a blessing to Englishmen, is very

ill-suited to nations not accustomed to the climate and its variations.

Every country has peculiarities of thought and manners resulting from the

physical influence of its sky and soil. Whenever we lose sight of this

truth, we naturally lose the affections of those whose habits we

counteract.]

Here ends the Journal of my lamented benefactress. I have continued the

history to the close of her career, and that of the Royal Family,

especially as Her Highness herself acted so important a part in many of

the scenes, which are so strongly illustrated by her conversation and

letters. It is only necessary to add that the papers which I have

arranged were received from Her Highness amidst the disasters which were

now thickening around her and her royal friends.

SECTION XVI.

From the time I left Passy till my final departure from Paris for Italy,

which took place on the 2nd of August, 1792, my residence was almost

exclusively at the capital. The faithful driver, who had given such

proofs of probity, continued to be of great service, and was put in

perpetual requisition. I was daily about on the business of the Queen

and the Princess, always disguised, and most frequently as a drummerboy;

on which occasions the driver and my man servant were my companions. My

principal occupation was to hear and take down the debates of the

Assembly, and convey and receive letters from the Queen to the Princesse

de Lamballe, to and from Barnave, Bertrand de Moleville, Alexandre de

Lameth, Deport de Fertre, Duportail, Montmorin, Turbo, De Mandat, the Duc

de Brissac, etc., with whom my illustrious patronesses kept up a

continued correspondence, to which I believe all of them fell a

sacrifice; for, owing to the imprudence of the King in not removing their

communications when he removed the rest of his papers from the Tuileries,

the exposure of their connections with the Court was necessarily

consequent upon the plunder of the palace on the 10th of August, 1792.

In my masquerade visits to the Assembly, I got acquainted with an editor

of one of the papers; I think he told me his name was Duplessie. Being

pleased with the liveliness of my remarks on some of the organized

disorders, as I termed them, and with some comments I made upon the

meanness of certain disgusting speeches on the patriotic gifts, my new

acquaintance suffered me to take copies of his own shorthand remarks and

reports. By this means the Queen and the Princess had them before they

appeared in print. M. Duplessie was on other occasions of great service

to me, especially as a protector in the mobs, for my man servant and the

honest driver were so much occupied in watching the movements of the

various faubourg factions, that I was often left entirely unattended.

The horrors of the Tuileries, both by night and day, were now grown

appallingly beyond description. Almost unendurable as they had been

before, they were aggravated by the insults of the national guard to

every passenger to and from the palace. I was myself in so much peril,

that the Princess thought it necessary to procure a trusty person, of

tried courage, to see me through the throngs, with a large bandbox of all

sorts of fashionable millinery, as the mode of ingress and egress least

liable to excite suspicion.

Thus equipped, and guarded by my cicisbeo, I one day found myself, on

entering the Tuileries, in the midst of an immense mob of regular trained

rioters, who, seeing me go towards the palace, directed their attention

entirely to me. They took me for some one belonging to the Queen's

milliner, Madame Bertin, who, they said, was fattening upon the public

misery, through the Queen's extravagance. The poor Queen herself they

called by names so opprobious that decency will not suffer me to repeat

them.

With a volley of oaths, pressing upon us, they bore us to another part of

the garden, for the purpose of compelling us to behold six or eight of

the most infamous outcasts, amusing themselves, in a state of exposure,

with their accursed hands and arms tinged with blood up to the elbows.

The spot they had chosen for this exhibition of their filthy persons was

immediately before the windows of the apartments of the Queen and the

ladies of the Court. Here they paraded up and down, to the great

entertainment of a throng of savage rebels, by whom they were applauded

and encouraged with shouts of "Bis! bis!" signifying in English," Again!

again!"

The demoniac interest excited by this scene withdrew the attention of

those who were enjoying it from me, and gave me the opportunity of

escaping unperceived, merely with the loss of my bandbox. Of that the

infuriated mob made themselves masters; and the hats, caps, bonnets, and

other articles of female attire, were placed on the parts of their

degraded carcases, which, for the honour of human nature, should have

been shot.

Overcome with agony at these insults, I burst from the garden in a flood

of tears. On passing the gate, I was accosted by a person who exclaimed

in a tone of great kindness, "Qu'as tu, ma bonne? qu'est ce qui vous

afflige?" Knowing the risk I should run in representing the real cause

of my concern, I immediately thought of ascribing it to the loss of the

property of which I had been plundered. I told him I was a poor

milliner, and had been robbed of everything I possessed in the world by

the mob. "Come back with me," said he, "and I will have it restored to

you." I knew it was of no avail, but policy stimulated me to comply; and

I returned with him into the garden toward the palace.

What should I have felt, had I been aware, when this man came up, that I

was accosted by the villain Danton! The person who was with me knew him,

but dared not speak, and watched a chance of escaping in the crowd for

fear of being discovered. When I looked round and found myself alone, I

said I had lost my brother in the confusion, which added to my grief.

"Oh, never mind," said Danton; "take hold of my arm; no one shall molest

you. We will look for your brother, and try to recover your things;" and

on we went together: I, weeping, I may truly say, for my life, stopped at

every step, while he related my doleful story to all whose curiosity was

excited by my grief.

On my appearing arm in arm with Danton before the windows of the Queen's

apartments, we were observed by Her Majesty and the Princesses. Their

consternation and perplexity, as well as alarm for my safety, may readily

be conceived. A signal from the window instantly apprised me that I

might enter the palace, to which my return had been for some time

impatiently expected.

Finding it could no longer be of any service to carry on the farce of

seeking my pretended brother, I begged to be escorted out of the mob to

the apartments of the Princesse de Lamballe.

"Oh," said Danton, "certainly! and if you had only told the people that

you were going to that good Princess, I am sure your things would not

have been taken from you. But," added he, "are you perfectly certain

they were not for that detestable Marie Antoinette?"

"Oh!" I replied, "quite, quite certain!" All this while the mob was at

my heels.

"Then," said he, "I will not leave you till you are safe in the

apartments of the Princesse de Lamballe, and I will myself make known to

her your loss: she is so good," continued he, "that I am convinced she

will make you just compensation."

I then told him how much I should be obliged by his doing so, as I had

been commissioned to deliver the things, and if I was made to pay for

them, the loss would be more serious than I could bear.

"Bah! bah!" exclaimed he. "Laissez moi faire! Laissez moi faire!"

When he came to the inner door, which I pretended to know nothing about,

he told the gentleman of the chamber his name, and said he wished to see

his mistress.

Her Highness came in a few minutes, and from her looks and visible

agitation at the sight of Danton, I feared she would have betrayed both

herself and me. However, while he was making a long preamble, I made

signs, from which she inferred that all was safe.

When Danton had finished telling her the story, she calmly said to me,

"Do you recollect, child, the things you have been robbed of?"

I replied that, if I had pen and ink, I could even set down the prices.

"Oh, well, then, child, come in," said Her Highness, "and we will see

what is to be done!"

"There!" exclaimed Danton; "Did I not tell you this before?" Then,

giving me a hearty squeeze of the hand, he departed, and thus terminated

the millinery speculation, which, I have no doubt, cost Her Highness a

tolerable sum.

As soon as he was gone, the Princess said, "For Heaven's sake, tell me

the whole of this affair candidly; for the Queen has been in the greatest

agitation at the bare idea of your knowing Danton, ever since we first

saw you walking with him! He is one of our moat inveterate enemies."

I said that if they had but witnessed one half of the scenes that I saw,

I was sure their feelings would have been shocked beyond description. "We

did not see all, but we heard too much for the ears of our sex."

I then related the particulars of our meeting to Her Highness, who

observed, "This accident, however unpleasant, may still turn out to our

advantage. This fellow believes you to be a marchande de modes, and the

circumstance of his having accompanied you to my apartment will enable

you, in future, to pass to and from the Pavilion unmolested by the

national guard."

With tears of joy in her eyes for my safety, she could not, however, help

laughing when I told her the farce I kept up respecting the loss of my

brother, and my bandbox with the millinery, for which I was also soon

congratulated most graciously by Her Majesty, who much applauded my

spirit and presence of mind, and condescended, immediately, to entrust me

with letters of the greatest importance, for some of the most

distinguished members of the Assembly, with which I left the palace in

triumph, but taking care to be ready with a proper story of my losses.

When I passed the guard-room, I was pitied by the very wretches, who,

perhaps, had already shared in the spoils; and who would have butchered

me, no doubt, into the bargain, could they have penetrated the real

object of my mission. They asked me if I had been paid for the loss I

sustained. I told them I had not, but I was promised that it should be

settled.

"Settled!" said one of the wretches. "Get the money as soon as you can.

Do not trust to promises of its being settled. They will all be settled

themselves soon!"

The next day, on going to the palace, I found the Princesse de Lamballe

in the greatest agitation, from the accounts the Court had just received

of the murder of a man belonging to Arthur Dillon, and of the massacres

at Nantes.

"The horrid prints, pamphlets, and caricatures," cried she, "daily

exhibited under the very windows of the Tuileries, against His Majesty,

the Queen, the Austrian party, and the Coblentz party, the constant

thwarting of every plan, and these last horrors at Nantes, have so

overwhelmed the King that he is nearly become a mere automaton. Daily

and nightly execrations are howled in his ears. Look at our boasted

deliverers! The poor Queen, her children, and all of us belonging to the

palace, are in danger of our lives at merely being seen; while they by

whom we have been so long buoyed up with hope are quarrelling amongst

themselves for the honour and etiquette of precedency, leaving us to the

fury of a race of cannibals, who know no mercy, and will have destroyed

us long before their disputes of etiquette can be settled."

The utterance of Her Highness while saying this was rendered almost

inarticulate by her tears.

"What support against internal disorganization," continued she, "is to be

expected from so disorganized a body as the present army of different

nations, having all different interests?"

I said there was no doubt that the Prussian army was on its march, and

would soon be joined by that of the Princes and of Austria.