s of the palace entered the
apartments of the king and queen, and found the beds undisturbed and the
rooms deserted. The alarm spread like wildfire through the palace and
through the city. The alarm bells were rung, cannon were fired, and the
cry resounded through the streets, "The king has fled! the king has
fled!" The terrified populace were expecting almost at the next moment
to see him return with an avenging army to visit his rebellious subjects
with the most terrible retribution. From all parts of the city, every
lane, and street, and alley leading to the Tuileries was thronged with
the crowd, pouring on, like an inundation, toward the deserted palace.
The doors were forced open, and the interior of the palace was instantly
filled with the swarming multitudes. The mob from the streets polluted
the sanctuaries of royalty with every species of vulgarity and
obscenity. An amazon market-woman took possession of the queen's bed,
and, spreading her cherries upon it, she took her seat upon the royal
couch, exclaiming, "To-day it is the nation's turn to take their ease."
One of the caps of the queen was placed in derision upon the head of a
vile girl of the street. She exclaimed that it would sully her forehead,
and trampled it under her feet with contempt. Every conceivable insult
was heaped upon the royal family. Placards, posted upon the walls,
offered trivial rewards to any one who would bring back the noxious
animals which had fled from the palace. The metropolis was agitated to
its very center, and the most vigorous measures immediately adopted to
arrest the king, if possible, before he should reach the friends who
could afford him protection. This turmoil continued for many hours,
till the cry passed from mouth to mouth, and filled the streets, "He
is arrested! he is arrested!"

CHAPTER VIII.

THE RETURN TO PARIS.

1791-1792

Despair of the king.--Lovely character of Madame Elizabeth.--Return to
Paris.--Insults of the mob.--Massacre of M. Dampierre.--Commissioners
from Paris.--Noble character of Barnave.--Brutality of Petion.--Approach
to Paris.--Appalling violence.--Sufferings of the royal family.--Arrival
at the Tuileries.--Exertions of La Fayette.--Roar of the
multitude.--Spirit of the queen.--Embarrassing position of La
Fayette.--The palace rigorously guarded.--The queen grossly
insulted.--Despair of the king.--Supremacy of the mob.--A brutal
assemblage.--Ferocious inscriptions.--Attack upon the pala