st proof of our devotion to the
Constitution." The princess spoke. "Could Roederer answer for the king's
life?" He affirmed that he would answer for it with his own. The queen
repeated the question. "Madame," he replied, "we will answer for dying at
your side--that is all that we can promise." "Let us go," said Louis, and
moved toward the door. Even at the last moment, one officer, M. Boscari,
commander of a battalion of the National Guard, known as that of Les
Filles St. Thomas, whose loyalty no disaster had ever been able to shake,
implored him to change his mind. His men, united to the Swiss, would be
able, he said, to cut a way for the royal family to the Rouen road; the
insurgents were all on the other side of the city, and nothing could
resist him. But again, as on all previous occasions, Louis rejected the
brave advice. He pleaded the risk to which he should expose those dearest
to him, and led them to almost certain death in committing them to the
Assembly. Some of De Mailly's gentlemen gathered round him to accompany
him; but such an escort seemed to Roederer likely to provoke additional
animosity, and at his entreaty Louis trusted himself to a company of his
faithful Swiss and to a detachment of the National Guard, who formed
themselves into an escort to conduct him to the Assembly, whose hall
looked into one side of the palace garden.

The minister for foreign affairs walked at his side. The queen leaned on
the arm of M. Dubouchage, the minister of marine, and with the other hand
led the dauphin. The Princess Elizabeth and the princess royal followed
with another minister. And thus, with the Princess de Lamballe, Madame de
Tourzel, and one or two other ministers and attendants, the royal family
left the palace of their ancestors, which only one of them was ever to
behold again. As they quit the saloon, moved down the stairs, and crossed
the garden, their every step was one toward a downfall and a destruction
which could never be retraced. Marie Antoinette felt it to be so, and, as
she reached the foot of the staircase, cast restless and anxious glances
around, looking perhaps even then for any prospect of succor or of
effectual resistance which might present itself. One of the Swiss
misunderstood her, and with rude fidelity endeavored to encourage her.
"Fear nothing, madame," said he, "your majesty is surrounded by honest
citizens." She laid her hand on her heart. "I do fear nothing," and passed
on without ano