with　an　oath　to　the　love　which　we　cherish　toward　our　queen！〃
  He　offered　her　his　arm；　and；　both　smiling；　both　with　beaming　faces；
  left　the　room；　and　joined　the　wedding　guests　who　had　long　been
  waiting　for　them　with　growing　impatience。　They　entered　the　carriages
  and　drove　to　the　church。　With　joyful　faces　the　bridal　pair　pledged
  their　mutual　fidelity　before　the　altar；　and　their　hands　pressed　one
  another；　and　their　eyes　met　with　a　secret　understanding　of　all　that
  was　meant　at　that　wedding。　They　both　knew　that　at　that　moment　they
  were　pledging　their　fidelity　to　the　queen；　and　that；　while　seeming
  to　give　themselves　away　to　each　other；　they　were　really　giving
  themselves　to　their　sovereign。
  At　the　conclusion　of　the　ceremony；　they　left　the　church　of　St。　Louis
  to　repair　to　the　wedding　dinner；　which　Councillor　Bugeaud　had
  ordered　to　be　prepared　in　one　of　the　most　brilliant　restaurants　of
  Versailles。
  〃Will　you　not　tell　me　now；　my　dear　son；〃　he　said　to　Toulan〃will
  you　not　tell　me　now　why　you　wish　so　strongly　to　celebrate　the
  wedding　in　Versailles；　and　not　in　Paris；　and　why　in　the　church　of
  St。　Louis？〃
  〃I　will　tell　you；　father；〃　answered　Toulan；　pressing　the　arm　of　his
  bride　closer　to　his　heart。　〃I　wanted　here；　where　the　country　erects
  its　altar；　where　in　a　few　days　the　nation　will　meet　face　to　face
  these　poor　earthly　majesties；　here；　where　in　a　few　days　the　States…
  General　will　convene；　to　defend　the　right　of　the　people　against　the
  prerogative　of　the　sovereign；　here　alone　to　give　to　my　life　its　new
  consecration。　Versailles　will　from　this　time　be　doubly　dear　to　me。　I
  shall　owe　to　it　my　life's　happiness　as　a　man；　my　freedom　as　a
  citizen。　They　have　done　me　the　honor　in　Rouen　to　elect　me　to　a　place
  in　the　Third　Estate；　and　as；　in　a　few　days；　the　Assembly　of　the
  Nation　will　meet　here　in　Versailles；　I　wanted　my　whole　future
  happiness　to　be　connected　with　the　place。　And　I　wanted　to　be　married
  in　St。　Louis's　church；　because　I　love　the　good　King　Louis。　He　is　the
  true　and　sincere　friend　of　the　nation；　and　he　would　like　to　make　his
  people　happy；　if　the　queen；　the　Austrian；　would　allow　it。〃
  〃Yes；　indeed；〃　sighed　the　councillor；　who；　in　spite　of　his　relation
  to　Madame　de　Campan；　belonged　to　the　opponents　of　the　queen〃　yes；
  indeed；　if　the　Austrian　woman　allowed　it。　But　she　is　not　willing
  that　France　should　be　happy。　Woe　to　the　queen；　all　our　misery　comes
  from　her！
  CHAPTER　IX。
  THE　OPENING　OF　THE　STATES…GENERAL。
  On　the　morning　of　the　5th　of　May；　1789；　the　solemn　opening　of　the
  States…General　of　France　was　to　occur　at　Versailles。　This　early　date
  was　appointed　for　the　convocation　of　the　estates；　in　order　to　be
  able　to　protract　as　much　as　possible　the　ceremonial　proceedings。　But
  at　the　same　time　this　occasion　was　to　be　improved　in　preparing　a
  sensible　humiliation　for　the　members　of　the　Third　Estate。
  In　the　avenue　of　the　Versailles　palace　a　large　and　fine　hall　was
  fixed　upon　as　the　most　appropriate　place　for　receiving　the　twelve
  hundred　representatives　of　France；　and　a　numerous　company　of
  spectators　besides；　and；　being　chosen；　was　appropriately　fitted　up。
  Louis　XVI。　himself；　who　was　very　fond　of　sketching　and　drawing
  architectural　plans；　had　busied　himself　in　the　most　zealous　way　with
  the　arrangements　and　decorations　of　the　hall。
  It　had　long　been　a　matter　of　special　interest　to　the　king　to　fit　up
  the　room　which　was　to　receive　the　representatives　of　the　nation；　in
  a　manner　which　would　be　worthy　of　so　significant　an　occasion。　He　had
  himself　selected　the　hangings　and　the　curtains　which　were　to　protect
  the　audience　from　the　too　glaring　light　of　the　day。
  When　the　members　of　the　Third　Estate　arrived；　they　saw　with　the
  greatest　astonishment　that　they　were　not　to　enter　the　hall　by　the
  same　entrance　which　was　appropriated　to　the　representatives　of　the
  nobility　and　the　clergy；　who　were　chosen　at　the　same　time　with
  themselves。　While　for　the　last　two　the　entrance　was　appointed
  through　the　main　door　of　the　hall；　the　commoners　were　allowed　to
  enter　by　a　rear　door；　opening　into　a　dark　and　narrow　corridor；
  where；　crowded　together；　they　were　compelled　to　wait　till　the　doors
  were　opened。
  Almost　two　hours　elapsed　before　they　were　allowed　to　pass　out　of
  this　dark　place　of　confinement　into　the　great　hall；　at　a　signal　from
  the　Marquis　de　Brize；　the　master　of　ceremonies。
  A　splendid　scene　now　greeted　their　eyes。　The　Salle　de　Menus；　which
  had　been　fitted　up　for　the　reception　of　the　nobility；　displayed
  within　two　rows　of　Ionic　pillars；　which　gave　to　the　hall　an　unwonted
  air　of　dignity　and　solemnity。　The　hall　was　lighted　mainly　from
  above；　through　a　skylight；　which　was　covered　with　a　screen　of　white
  sarcenet。　A　gentle　light　diffused　itself　throughout　the　room；　making
  one　object　as　discernible　as　another。　In　the　background　the　throne
  could　be　seen　on　a　richly　ornamented　estrade　and　beneath　a　gilded
  canopy；　an　easy…chair　for　the　queen；　tabourets　for　the　princesses；
  and　chairs　for　the　other　members　of　the　royal　family。　Below　the
  estrade　stood　the　bench　devoted　to　the　ministers　and　the　secretaries
  of　state。　At　the　right　of　the　throne；　seats　had　been　placed　for　the
  clergy；　on　the　left　for　the　nobility；　while　in　front　were　the　six
  hundred　chairs　devoted　to　the　Third　Estate。
  The　Marquis　de　Brize；　with　two　assistant　masters　of　ceremonies；　now
  began　to　assign　the　commoners　to　their　seats；　in　accordance　with　the
  situation　of　the　districts　which　they　represented。
  As　the　Duke　d'Orleans　appeared　in　the　midst　of　the　other　deputies　of
  Crespy；　there　arose　from　the　amphitheatre；　where　the　spectators　sat；
  a　gentle　sound　of　applause；　which　increased　in　volume；　and　was
  repeated　by　some　of　the　commoners；　when　it　was　noticed　that　the　duke
  made　a　clergyman；　who　had　gone　behind　him　in　the　delegation　from
  this　district；　go　in　front　of　him；　and　did　not　desist　till　the
  round…bellied　priest　had　really　taken　his　place　before　him。　In　the
  mean　time　the　bench　of　the　ministers　had　begun　to　fill。　They
  appeared　as　a　body；　clothed　in　rich　uniforms；　heavy　with　gold。　Only
  one　single　man　among　them　appeared　in　simple　citizen's　clothing；　and
  bearing　himself　as　naturally　as　if　he　were　engaged　in　business　of
  the　state；　or　in　ordinary　parlor　conversation；　and　by　no　means　as　if
  taking　part　in　an　extraordinary　solemnity。　As　soon　as　he　was　seen；
  there　arose　on　all　sides；　as　much　in　the　assembly　as　on　the　tribune；
  a　movement　as　of　joy　which　culminated　in　a　general　clapping　of
  hands。
  The　man　who　received　this　salutation　was　the　newly…appointed
  minister　of　finance；　Necker；　to　whom　the　nation　was　looking　for　a
  reestablishment　of　its　prosperity　and　of　its　credit。
  Necker　manifested　only　by　a　thoughtful　smile；　which　mounted　to　his
  earnest；　thought…furrowed　face；　that　he　was　conscious　to　whom　the
  garland　of　supreme　popularity　was　extended　at　this　moment。
  Next；　the　deputation　of　Provence　appeared；　in　the　midst　of　which
  towered　Count　Mirabeau；　with　his　proud；　erect　bearing；　advancing　to
  take　the　place　appointed　for　him。　His　appearance　was　the　sign　for　a
  few　hands　to　commence　clapping　in　a　distant　part　of　the　hall；　in
  honor　of　a　man　so　much　talked　of　in　Prance；　and　of　whom　such　strange
  things　were　said。　But　at　this　instant　the　king　appeared；　accompanied
  by　the　queen；　followed　by　the　princes　and　princesses　of　the　royal
  family。
  At　the　entrance　of　the　king；　the　whole　assembly　broke　into　a　loud；
  enthusiastic　shout　of　applause　and　of　joy。　The　Third　Estate　as　well；
  at　a　signal　from　Count　Mirabeau；　had　quickly　risen；　but　continued　to
  stand　without　bending　the　knee；　as　had　been；　at　the　last　time　when
  all　the　estate　were　assembled；　the　invariable　rule。　Only　one　of　the
  representatives　of　the　Third　Estate；　a　young　man　with　energetic；
  proud　face；　and　dark；　glowing　eyes；　bent　his　knee　when　he　saw　the
  queen　entering　behind　the　king。　But　the　powerful　hand　of　his
  neighbor　was　laid　upon　his　shoulder　and　drew　him　quickly　up。
  〃Mr。　Deputy；〃　whispered　this　neighbor　to　him；　〃it　becomes　the
  representatives　of　the　nation　to　stand　erect　before　the　crown。〃
  〃It　is　true；　Count　Mirabeau；〃　answered　Toulan。　〃I　did　not　bend　my
  knee　to　the　crown；　but　to　the　queen　as；　a　beautiful　woman。〃
  Mirabeau　made　no　reply；　but　turned　his　flaming　eyes　to　the　king。
  Louis　XVI。　appeared　that　day　arrayed　in　the　great　royal　ermine；　and
  wore　upon　his　head　a　plumed　hat；　whose　band　glistened　with　great
  diamonds；　while　the　largest　in　the　royal　possession；　the　so…called
  Titt；　formed　the　centre；　and　threw　its　rays　far　and　wide。　The　king
  appeared　at　the　outset　to　be　deeply　moved　at　the　reception　which　had
  been　given　him。　A　smile；　indicating　that　his　feelings　were　touched；
  played　upon　his　face。　But　afterward；　when　all　was　still；　and　the
  king　saw　the　grave；　manly；　marked　faces　of　the　commoners　opposite
  him；　his　manner　became　confused；　and　for　an　instant　he　seemed　to
  tremble。
  The　queen；　however；　looked　around　her　with　a　calm　and　self…possessed
  survey。　Her　fine　eyes　swept　slowly　and　searchingly　over　the　rows　of
  grave　men　who　sat　opposite　the　royal　couple；　and　dwelt　a　moment　on
  Toulan；　as　if　she　recalled　in　him　the　young　man　who；　two　years
  before；　had　brought　the　message　of　Cardinal　Rohan's　acquittal。　A
  painful　smile