r became the more painfully impressed with the danger of the
attempt. Failure, as it seems to him, will be absolutely fatal. He asks
her anxiously whether the necessity is such that it has become
indispensable to risk such a result;[9] and she, in an answer of
considerable length and admirable clearness of expression and argument,
explains her reasons for deciding that it is absolutely unavoidable: "The
only alternative for us, especially since the 18th of April,[10] is either
blindly to submit to all that the factions require, or to perish by the
sword which is forever suspended over our heads. Believe me, I am not
exaggerating the danger; you know that my notion used to be, as long as I
could cherish it, to trust to gentleness, to time, and to public opinion.
But now all is changed, and we must either perish or take the only line
which remains to us. We are far from shutting our eyes to the fact that
this line also has its perils; but, if we must die, it will be at least
with glory, and in having done all that we could for our duty, for honor,
and for religion.... I believe that the provinces are less corrupted than
the capital; but it is always Paris which gives the tone to the whole
kingdom. We should greatly deceive ourselves if we fancied that the events
of the 18th of April, horrible as they were, produced any excitement in
the provinces. The clubs and the affiliations lead France where they
please; the right-thinking people, and those who are dissatisfied with
what is taking place, either flee from the country or hide themselves,
because they are not the stronger party, and because they have no
rallying-point. But when the king can show himself freely in a fortified
place, people will be astonished to see the number of dissatisfied people
who will then come forward, who, till that time, are groaning in silence;
but the longer we delay, the less support we shall have....

"Let us resume. You ask two questions: 1st. Is it possible or useful to
wait? No; by the explanation of our position which I gave at the beginning
of this letter, I have sufficiently proved the impossibility.... As to the
usefulness, it could only be useful on the supposition that we could count
on a new legislative body.... 2d. Admitting the necessity of acting
promptly, are we sure of means to escape; of a place to retreat to, and of
having a party strong enough to maintain itself for two months by its own
resources? I have answered this questio