may take away my estates by force," he
said, "but no law can deprive me of my title, any more than of the
name which I inherited from my fathers. Such laws as these are mere
outbursts of folly."

But the Assembly continued to pass laws of the most sweeping
description, assuming the sovereign power, and using it as no
monarch of France had ever ventured to do. Moderate men were shocked
at the headlong course of events, and numbers of those who at the
commencement of the movement had thrown themselves heart and soul
into it now shrank back in dismay at the strange tyranny which was
called liberty.

"It seems to me that a general madness has seized all Paris," the
marquis said to his wife on his return, "but at present nothing can
be done to arrest it. I have seen the king and queen. His majesty is
resolved to do nothing; that is, to let events take their course,
and what that will be Heaven only knows. The Assembly has taken
all power into its hands, the king is already a mere cipher, the
violence of the leaders of these men is beyond all bounds; the
queen is by turns hot and cold, at one moment she agrees with her
husband that the only hope lies in conceding everything; at another
she would go to the army, place herself in its hands, and call on
it to march upon Paris.

"At anyrate there is nothing to be done at present but to wait.
Already numbers of the deputies, terrified at the aspect of affairs,
have left France, and I am sorry to say many of the nobles have
also gone. This is cowardice and treachery to the king. We cannot
help him if he will not be helped, but it is our duty to remain
here ready to rally round him when he calls us to his side. I am
glad that the Assembly has passed a law confiscating the estates
of all who have emigrated."

Although the marquise was much alarmed at the news brought by her
husband she did not think of questioning his decision. It did not
seem to her possible that there could be danger for her and hers
in their quiet country chateau. There might be disturbance and
bloodshed, and even revolution, in Paris; but surely a mere echo
of this would reach them so far away.

"Whenever you think it is right to go up and take your place by
the king I will go and take mine by the queen," she said quietly.
"The children will be safe here; but of course we must do our duty."

The winter passed quietly at the chateau; there was none of the
usual gaiety, for a deep gloom hung over all the