monarchy. But Petion took
every opportunity of insulting Louis, haranguing him on the future
abolition of royalty, and reproaching him for many of his actions, and for
what he believed to be his feelings and views for the future.

It was the afternoon of the 25th when they came in sight of Paris. So
great had been Marie Antoinette's mental sufferings that in those few days
her hair had turned white; and fresh and studied humiliations were yet in
store for her. The carriage was not allowed to take the shortest road, but
was conducted some miles round, that it might be led in triumph down the
Champs Elysees, where a vast mob was waiting to feast their eyes on the
spectacle, whose display of sullen ill-will had been bespoken by a notice
prohibiting any one from taking off his hat to the king, or uttering a
cheer. The National Guard were forbidden to present arms to him; and it
seemed as if they interpreted this order as a prohibition also against
using them in his defense; for, as the carriage approached the palace, a
gang of desperate ruffians, some of whom were recognized as among the most
ferocious of the former assailants of Versailles, forced their way through
their ranks, pressed up against the carriage, and even mounted on the
steps. Barnave and Latour Maubourg, fearing that they intended to break
open the doors, placed themselves against them; but they contented
themselves with looking in at the window, and uttering sanguinary threats.
Marie Antoinette became alarmed--not for herself, but for her children.
They had so closed up every avenue of air that those within were nearly
stifled, and the youngest, of course, suffered most. She let down a glass,
and appealed to those who were crowding round: "For the love of God," she
exclaimed, "retire; my children are choking!" "We will soon choke you,"
was the only reply they vouchsafed to her. At last, however, La Fayette
came up with an armed escort, and they were driven off; but they still
followed the carriage up to the very gate of the palace with yells of
insult. And it had a stranger follower still: behind the royal carriage
came an open cabriolet, in which sat Drouet, with a laurel crown on his
head,[3] as if the chief object of the procession wore to celebrate his
triumph over his king.

The mob was even hoping to add to its impressiveness by the slaughter of
some immediate victims--not of the king and queen, for they believed them
to be destined to public executi