pera; and, as if with express design to ratify the loyal language of the
president of the Assembly, the whole audience greeted them with a most
enthusiastic reception. More than once they interrupted the performance
with loud cheers for both king and queen; and as the pleasure of children
is always an attractive sight, they sympathized especially with the
delight of the little dauphin, their future king, as they all then thought
him, who, being new to such a spectacle, only took his eyes off the stage
to imitate the gestures of the actors to his mother, and draw her
attention to them.

In more than one of her letters the queen had vehemently deplored the want
of a stronger ministry than of late had been in the king's service. It was
a natural complaint, though in fact the ability or want of ability
displayed by the ministers was a matter of but slight practical
importance, so completely had the Assembly engrossed the whole power of
the State; but in the course of the autumn some changes were made, one of
which for a time certainly added to the comfort of the sovereigns. M.
Montmorin retired; M. de Lessart was transferred to his office; and M.
Bertrand de Moleville, who was entirely new to official life, became the
minister of marine. The whole kingdom did not contain a man more attached
to the king and queen. But he combined statesman-like prudence with his
loyalty; and his conduct before he took office elicited a very remarkable
proof of the singleness of mind and purpose with which the king and queen
had accepted the Constitution. M. Bertrand had previously refused office,
and was very unwilling to take it now; and he frankly told Louis that he
could not hope to be of any real service to him unless he knew the plans
which the king might have formed with respect to the Constitution, and the
line of conduct which he desired his ministers to observe on the subject;
and Louis told him distinctly that though "he was far from regarding the
Constitution as a masterpiece, and though he thought it easy to reform it
advantageously in many particulars, yet he had sworn to observe it as it
was, and that he was bound to be, and resolved to be, strictly faithful to
his oath; the more so because it seemed to him that the most exact
observance of the Constitution was the surest method to lead the nation to
understand it in all its bearings; when the people themselves would
perceive the character of the changes in it which it was desira