“Ah!” exclaimed the queen, at once despairing and delighted, “why cannot his army hear him speak thus?”
As to the king, he quietly completed his toilette, without even appearing to understand the act of heroism he had just performed.
“Is the monarchy then lost,” murmured the queen, “when we can feel so proudly at such a moment?”
Chapter VI
The Departure
ON leaving the queen’s apartment, the king immediately found himself surrounded by all the officers and all the persons of his household, who had been appointed by him to attend him on his journey to Paris.
The principal personages were Messieurs de Beauvau, de Villeroy, de Nesle, and d’Estaing.
Louis XVI
Gilbert was waiting in the middle of the crowd till Louis XVI. should perceive him, were it only to cast a look upon him in passing.
It could be easily perceived that the whole of the throng there present were still in doubt, and that they could not credit that the king would persist in following up the resolution he had come to.
“After breakfast, gentlemen,” said the king, “we will set out.”
Then, perceiving Gilbert:—
“Ah, you are there, Doctor,” he continued, “you know that I take you with me.”
“At your orders, Sire.”
The king went into his cabinet, where he was engaged two hours. He afterwards attended Mass with all his household; then, at about nine o’clock, he sat down to breakfast.
The repast was taken with the usual ceremonies, excepting that the queen, who, after attending Mass, was observed to be out of spirits, her eyes red and swollen, had insisted on being present at the king’s repast, but without partaking of it in the slightest manner, that she might be with him to the last moment.
The queen had brought her two children with her, who, already much agitated, doubtless by what the queen had said to them, were looking anxiously from time to time at their father’s face, and then at the crowd of officers of the guards, who were present.
The children, moreover, from time to time, by order of their mother, wiped away a tear, which every now and then would rise to their eyelids; and the sight of this excited the pity of some and the anger of others, and filled the whole assembly with profound grief.
The king ate on stoically. He spoke several times to Gilbert, without taking his eyes off his plate; he spoke frequently to the queen, and always with deep affection.
At last he gave instructions to the commanders of his troops.
He was just finishing his breakfast, when an officer came in to announce to him that a compact body of men on foot, coming from Paris, had just appeared at the end of the grand avenue leading to the Place d’Armes.
On hearing this, the officers and guards at once rushed out of the room. The king raised his head and looked at Gilbert; but seeing that Gilbert smiled, he tranquilly continued eating.
The queen turned pale, and leaned towards Monsieur de Beauvau, to request him to obtain information.
Monsieur de Beauvau ran out precipitately.
The queen then drew near to the window.
Five minutes afterwards Monsieur de Beauvau returned.
“Sire,” said he, on entering the room, “they are National Guards, from Paris, who, hearing the rumor spread yesterday in the capital, of your Majesty’s intention to visit the Parisians, assembled to the number of some ten thousand, for the purpose of coming out to meet you on the road; and not meeting you so soon as they expected, they have pushed on to Versailles.”
“What appear to be their intentions?” asked the king.
“The best in the world,” replied Monsieur de Beauvau.
“That matters not,” said the queen; “have the gates closed.”
“Take good care not to do that,” said the king; “it is quite enough that the palace-doors remain closed.”
The queen frowned, and darted a look at Gilbert.
The latter was awaiting this look from the queen, for one half his prediction was already fulfilled. He had promised the arrival of twenty thousand men, and ten thousand had already come.
The king turned to Monsieur de Beauvau.
“See that refreshments be given to these worthy people,” said he.