The　king　answered　confusedly；　and　as　if　in　a　yielding　frame　of　mind。
  〃We　must　first　hear　what　the　people　want；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　not
  approach　them　threateningly；　we　must　first　discuss　matters　with
  them。〃
  〃Sire；〃　answered　the　queen；　in　amazement；　〃to　discuss　with　the
  rebels　now　is　to　imply　that　they　are　in　the　right；　and　you　will　not；
  you　cannot　do　that！〃
  〃I　will　consult　with　my　advisers；〃　said　the　king；　pointing　at　the
  ministers；　who；　summoned　by　St。　Priest；　were　then　entering　the　room。
  But　what　a　consultation　was　that！　Every　one　made　propositions；　and
  yet　no　one　knew　what　to　do。　No　one　would　take　the　responsibility　of
  the　matter　upon　himself；　and　yet　every　one　felt　that　the　danger
  increased　every　minute。　But　what　to　do？　That　was　the　question　which
  no　one　was　able　to　answer；　and　before　which　the　king　was　mute。　Not
  so　the　queen；　however。
  〃Sire！〃　cried　she；　with　glowing　cheeks；　〃sire；　you　have　to　save　the
  realm；　and　to　defend　it　from　revolution。　The　contest　is　here；　and　we
  cannot　withdraw　from　it。　Call　your　guards；　put　yourself　at　their
  head；　and　allow　me　to　remain　at　your　side。　We　ought　not　to　yield　to
  revolution；　and　if　we　cannot　control　it；　we　should　suffer　it　to
  enter　the　palace　of　the　kings　of　France　only　over　our　dead　bodies。
  Sire；　we　must　either　live　as　kings；　or　know　how　to　die　as　kings！〃
  But　Louis　replied　to　this　burst　of　noble　valor　in　a　brave　woman's
  soul；　only　with　holding　back　and　timidity。　Plans　were　made　and　cast
  aside。　They　went　on　deliberating　till　the　wild　yells　of　the　people
  were　heard　even　within　the　palace。
  The　queen；　pale　and　yet　calm；　had　withdrawn　to　the　adjoining
  apartment。　There　she　leaned　against　the　door　and　listened　to　the
  words　of　the　ministers；　and　to　the　new　reports　which　were　all　the
  time　coming　in　from　the　streets。
  The　crowd　had　reached　Versailles；　and　was　streaming　through　the
  streets　of　the　city　in　the　direction　of　the　palace。　The　National
  Guard　of　Versailles　had　fraternized　with　the　Parisians。　Some
  scattered　soldiers　of　the　royal　guard　had　been　threatened　and
  insulted；　and　even　dragged　from　their　horses！
  The　queen　heard　all；　and　heard　besides　the　consultation　of　the　king
  and　his　ministersstill　coming　to　no　decisive　results；　doubting　and
  hesitating；　while　the　fearful　crisis　was　advancing　from　the　street。
  Already　musket…shots　were　heard　on　the　great　square　in　front　of　the
  palace；　wild　cries；　and　loud；　harsh　voices。　Marie　Antoinette　left
  her　place　at　the　door　and　hurried　to　the　window；　where　a　view　could
  be　had　of　the　whole　square。　She　saw　the　dark　dust…cloud　which　hung
  over　the　road　to　Paris；　she　saw　the　unridden　horses；　running　in
  advance　of　the　crowd；　their　riders；　members　of　the　royal　guard；
  having　been　killed；　she　heard　the　raging　discords；　which　surged　up
  to　the　palace　like　a　wave　driven　by　the　wind；　she　saw　this　black；
  dreadful　wave　sweep　along　the　Paris　road；　roaring　as　it　went。
  What　a　fearful　mass！　Howling；　shrieking　women；　with　loosened　hair；
  and　with　menacing　gestures；　extended　their　naked　arms　toward　the
  palace　defiantly；　their　eyes　naming；　their　mouths　overflowing　with
  curses。　Wild　men's　figures；　with　torn　blouses；　the　sleeves　rolled　up
  over　dusty　and　dirty　arms；　and　bearing　pikes；　knives；　and　guns；　here
  and　there　members　of　the　National　Guard　marching　with　them　arm　in
  arm；　pressed　on　toward　the　palace。　Sometimes　shrieks　and　yells；
  sometimes　coarse　peals　of　laughter；　or　threatening　cries；　issued
  from　the　confused　crowd。　Nearer　and　nearer　surged　the　dreadful　wave
  of　destruction　to　the　royal　palace。　Now　it　has　reached　it。　Maddened
  fists　pounded　upon　the　iron　gates　before　the　inner　court；　and
  threatening　voices　demanded　entrance：　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　women
  shrieked　with　wild　gestures：
  〃We　want　to　come　in！　We　want　to　speak　with　the　baker！　We　will　eat
  the　queen's　guts　if　we　cannot　get　any　thing　else　to　eat！〃
  And　thousands　upon　thousands　of　women's　voices　repeated〃Yes；　we
  will　eat　the　queen's　guts；　if　we　get　nothing　else　to　eat！〃
  Marie　Antoinette　withdrew　from　the　window；　her　bearing　was　grave　and
  defiant；　a　laugh　of　scorn　played　over　her　proudly…drawn…up　upper…
  lip；　her　head　was　erect；　her　step　decisive；　dignified。
  She　went　again　to　the　king　and　his　ministers。　〃Sire；〃　said　she；　〃the
  people　are　here。　It　is　now　too　late　to　supplicate　them；　as　you
  wanted　to　do。　Nothing　remains　for　you　except　to　defend　yourself；　and
  to　save　the　crown　for　your　son　the　dauphin；　even　if　it　falls　from
  your　own　head。〃
  〃It　remains　for　us；〃　answered　the　king；　gravely；　〃to　bring　the
  people　back　to　a　sense　of　duty。　They　are　deceived　about　us。　They　are
  excited。　We　will　try　to　conciliate　them；　and　to　show　them　our
  fatherly　interest　in　them。〃
  The　queen　stared　in　amazement　at　the　pleasant；　smiling　face　of　the
  king；　then；　with　a　loud　cry　of　pain；　which　escaped　from　her　breast
  like　the　last　gasp　of　a　dying　man；　she　turned　around；　and　went　up　to
  the　Prince　de　Luxemburg；　the　captain　of　the　guard；　who　just　then
  entered　the　hall。
  〃Do　you　come　to　tell　us　that　the　people　have　taken　the　palace？〃
  cried　the　queen；　with　an　angry　burst　from　her　very　soul。
  〃Madame；〃　answered　the　prince；　〃had　that　been　the　case；　I　should　not
  have　been　here　alive。　Only　over　my　body　will　the　rabble　enter　the
  palace。〃
  〃Ah；〃　muttered　Marie　Antoinette　to　herself；　〃there　are　men　in
  Versailles　yet；　there　are　brave　men　yet　to　defend　us！〃
  〃What　news　do　you　bring；　captain？〃　asked　the　king；　stepping　up。
  〃Sire；　I　am　come　to　receive　your　commands；〃　answered　the　prince；
  bowing　respectfully。　〃This　mob　of　shameless　shrews　is　growing　more
  maddened；　more　shameless　every　moment。　Thousands　and　thousands　of
  arms　are　trying　the　gates；　and　guns　are　fired　with　steady　aim　at　the
  guards。　I　beg　your　majesty　to　empower　me　to　repel　this　attack　of　mad
  women！〃
  〃What　an　idea；　captain！〃　cried　Louis；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
  〃Order　to　attack　a　company　of　women！　You　are　joking；　prince！〃
  ＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See　Weber；　〃Memoires；〃　vol。　t；　p。
  433。＇
  And　the　king　turned　to　Count　de　la　Marck；　who　was　entering　the　room。
  〃You　come　with　new　news。　What　is　it；　count？〃
  〃Sire；　the　women　are　most　desirous　of　speaking　with　your　majesty；
  and　presenting　their　grievances。〃
  〃I　will　hear　them；〃　cried　the　king；　eagerly。　〃Tell　the　women　to
  choose　six　of　their　number　and　bring　them　into　my　cabinet。　I　will　go
  there　myself。〃
  〃Sire；　you　are　going　to　give　audience　to　revolution；〃　cried　Marie
  Antoinette；　seizing　the　arm　of　the　king；　who　was　on　the　point　of
  leaving　the　room。　〃I　conjure　you；　my　husband；　do　not　be　overpowered
  by　your　magnanimous　heart！　Let　not　the　majesty　of　the　realm　be
  defiled　by　the　raging　hands　of　these　furies！　Remain　here。　Oh；　sire；
  if　my　prayers；　my　wishes　have　any　power　with　you；　remain　here！　Send
  a　minister　to　treat　with　these　women　in　your　name。　But　do　not
  confront　their　impudence　with　the　dignity　of　the　crown。　Sire；　to
  give　them　audience　is　to　give　audience　to　revolution；　and　from　the
  hour　when　it　takes　place；　revolution　has　gained　the　victory　over　the
  kingly　authority！　Do　not　go；　oh　do　not　go！〃
  〃I　have　given　my　word；〃　answered　Louis；　gently。　〃I　have　sent　word　to
  the　women　that　I　would　receive　them；　and　they　shall　not　say　that　the
  first　time　they　set　foot　in　the　palace　of　their　king；　they　were
  deceived　by　him。　And　see；　there　comes　the　count　to　take　me！〃
  And　the　king　followed　with　hasty　step　Count　de　la　Marck；　who　just
  then　appeared　at　the　door。
  Six　women　of　wild　demeanor；　with　dusty；　dirty　clothes；　their　hair
  streaming　out　from　their　round　white　caps；　were　assembled　in　the
  cabinet　of　the　king；　and　stared　at　him　with　defiant　eyes　as　he
  entered。　But　his　gentle　demeanor　and　pleasant　voice　appeared　to
  surprise　them；　and　Louise　Chably；　the　speaker；　who　had　selected　the
  women；　found　only　timid；　modest　words；　with　which　to　paint　to　the
  king　the　misfortune；　the　need；　and　the　pitiable　condition　of　the
  people；　and　with　which　to　entreat　his　pity　and　assistance。
  〃Ah；　my　children；〃　answered　the　king　with　a　sigh；　〃only　believe　me；
  it　is　not　my　fault　that　you　are　miserable；　and　I　am　still　more
  unhappy　than　you。　I　will　give　directions　to　Corbeil　and　D'Estampes；
  the　controllers　of　the　grain…stores；　to　give　out　all　that　they　can
  spare。　If　my　commands　had　always　been　obeyed；　it　would　be　better
  with　us　all！　If　I　could　do　every　thing；　could　see　to　it　that　my
  commands　were　everywhere　carried　into　effect；　you　would　not　be
  unhappy；　and　you　must　confess；　at　least；　that　your　king　loves　you　as
  a　father　his　children；　and　that　nothing　lies　so　closely　at　his　heart
  as　your　welfare。　Go；　my　children；　and　tell　your　friends　to　prove
  worthy　of　the　love　of　their　king；　and　to　return　peaceably　to　Paris。〃
  ＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See。　A。　de　Beauchesne；　〃Louis
  XVI。。　sa　Vie；　son　Agonie；　〃etc。；　vol。　i。；　p。　43。＇
  〃Long　live　the　king！　Long　live　our　father！〃　cried　the　touched　and
  pacified　women；　as　trembling　and　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　they　left
  the　royal　cabinet；　in　order　to　go　to　the　women　below；　and　announce
  to　them　what　the　king　had　said。
  But　the　royal　words　found　no　response　among　the　excited　masses。　〃We
  are　hungry；　we　want　bread；〃　shouted　the　women。　〃We　are　not　going　to
  live　on　words　any　more。　The　king　sh