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triumph in the outer antechamber。
〃The queen！ We want the heart of the queen！〃
〃They have broken down the door of the antechamberthey are in the
waiting…room！〃 whispered Campan。 〃There is no time to be lost。 Come；
friends； come！〃
And she hastened to the bed of the queen； who was still lying in
that heavy； unrefreshing sleep which usually follows exhaustion and
intense excitement。
〃Your majesty； your majesty； wake！〃
〃What is it； Campan？〃 asked Marie Antoinette； opening her eyes； and
hastily sitting up in bed。 〃Why do you waken me？ What has happened？〃
The fearful sounds without； the crashing of the door of the little
waiting…room； gave answer。 The rough； hard voices of the exasperated
women； separated now from the queen by only one thin door； quickly
told all that had happened。
Marie Antoinette sprang from her bed。 〃Dress me quick； quick！〃
〃Impossible！ There is no time。 Only hear how the gunstocks beat
against the door！ They will break it down； and then your majesty is
lost！ The clothes on without stopping to fasten them！ Now fly； your
majesty； fly！ Through the side…door…through the OEil de Boeuf！〃
Madame de Campan went in advance； the two women supported the queen
and carried her loose clothes； and then they flew on through the
still and deserted corridors to the sleeping…room of the king。
It was emptyno one there！
〃O God！ Campan； where is the king？ I must go to him。 My place is by
his side！ Where is the king？〃
〃Here I am； Marie； here！〃 cried the king； who just then entered and
saw the eager； anxious face of his wife。 〃I hurried to save our most
costly possessions！〃
He laid the dauphin； only half awake； and lying on his breast； in
the arms which Marie Antoinette extended to him； and then led her
little daughter to her； who had been brought in by Madame Tourzel。
〃Now；〃 said the king； calmly； 〃now that I have collected my dearest
treasures； I will go and see what is going on。〃
But Marie Antoinette held him back。 〃There is destruction；
treachery； and murder outside。 Crime may break in here and overwhelm
us； but we ought not to go out and seek it。〃
〃Well；〃 said the king； 〃we will remain here and await what comes。〃
And turning to his valet； who was then entering； Louis continued：
〃Bring me my chocolate； I want to take advantage of the time to
breakfast； for I am hungry！〃
〃Sire； now？ shall we breakfast now？〃 asked the queen； amazed。
〃Why not？〃 answered Louis calmly。 〃If the body is strengthened； we
look at every thing more composedly and confidently。 You must take
breakfast too； Marie； for who knows whether we shall find time for
some hours after this？〃
〃I！ oh； I need no breakfast；〃 cried Marie Antoinette； and as she saw
Louis eagerly taking a cup of chocolate from the hands of a valet；
and was going to enjoy it； she turned away to repress the tears of
anger and pain which in spite of herself pressed into her eyes。
〃Mamma queen；〃 cried the dauphin； who was yet in her arms； 〃I should
like my breakfast too。 My chocolateI should like my chocolate
too！〃
The queen compelled herself to smile； carried the child to its
father； and softly set him down on the king's knee。
〃Sire；〃 said she； 〃will the King of France teach his son to take
breakfast； while revolution is thundering without； and breaking
down； with treasonable hands； the doors of the royal palace？ Campan；
come herehelp me arrange my toilet； I want to prepare myself to
give audience to revolution！〃
And withdrawing to a corner of the room； the queen finished her
toilet； for which her women fortunately had in their flight brought
the materials。
While the queen was dressing and the king breakfasting with the
children； the cabinet of the king began to fill。 All Louis's
faithful servants； then the ministers and some of the deputies； had
hurried to the palace to be at the side of the king and queen at the
hour of danger。
Every one of them brought new tidings of horror。 St。 Priest told how
he； entering the Swiss room； at the door leading into the
antechamber of the queen； had seen the body of Varicourt covered
with wounds。 The Duke de Liancourt had seen a dreadful man； of
gigantic size； with heavy beard； the arms of his blouse rolled up
high； and bearing a heavy hatchet…knife in his hand； springing upon
the person of the faithful Swiss； in order to sever his head from
his body。 The Count de Borennes had seen the corpse of the Swiss
officer； Baron de Deshuttes； who guarded the iron gate； and whom the
people murdered as they entered。 The Marquis de Croissy told of the
heroism with which another Swiss； Miomandre of St。 Marie； had
defended the door between the suites of the king and queen； and had
gained time to draw the bolt and barricade the door。 And during all
these reports； and while the cabinet was filling more and more with
pale men and women； the king went composedly on dispatching his
breakfast。
The queen； who had long before completed her toilet； now went up to
him； and with gentle； tremulous voice conjured him to declare what
should be doneto come at last out of this silence； and to speak
and act worthy of a king。
Louis shrugged his shoulders and set the replenished cup which he
was just lifting to his mouth； on the silver waiter。 At once the
queen beckoned to the valet Hue to come up。
〃Sir；〃 said she； commandingly； 〃take these things out。 The king has
finished his breakfast。〃
Louis sighed； and with his eye followed the valet； who was carrying
the breakfast into the garde…robe。
〃Now； sire；〃 whispered Marie Antoinette； 〃show yourself a king。〃
〃My love；〃 replied the king； quietly； 〃it is very hard to show
myself a king when the people do not choose to regard me as one。
Only hear that shouting and yelling； and then tell me what I can do
as a king to bring these mad men to peace and reason？〃
〃Sire； raise your voice as king； tell them that you will avenge the
crimes of this night； take the sword in your hand and defend the
throne of your fathers and the throne of your son； and then you will
see these rebels retire； and you will collect around you men who
will be animated with fresh courage； and who will take new fire from
your example。 Oh； sire； disregard now the pleadings of your noble；
gentle heart； show yourself firm and decided。 Have no leniency for
traitors and rebels！〃
〃Tell me what I shall do；〃 murmured the king； with a sigh。
Marie Antoinette stooped down to his ear。 〃Sire；〃 whispered she；
〃send at once to Vincennes； and the other neighboring places。 Order
the troops to come hither； collect an army； put yourself at its
head； march on Paris； declare war on the rebellious capital； and you
will march as conqueror into your recaptured city。 Oh； only no
yielding； no submission！ Only give the order； sire； say that you
will do so； and I will summon one of my faithful ones to give him
orders to hasten to Vincennes。〃
And while the queen whispered eagerly to the king； her flashing
glance sped across to Toulan； who； in the tumult； had found means to
come in； and now looked straight at the queen。 Now； as her glance
came to him as an unspoken command； he made his way irresistibly
forward through the crowd of co