f the king
and queen could have been guided by these advisers. The chief and best
of these was that excellent patriot and loyal subject the Marquis
Lafayette. While he was adored by the people, he did all in his power
to aid and save the royal family; but, unhappily, the king distrusted
him, and the queen could not endure him. She not only detested his
politics, but declared that she believed him (the most honourable man in
the world) to be a traitor, and laid on him the blame of misfortunes
which he had no hand in causing, and for which he grieved.

The king had a regiment from Flanders on whom he was sure he could rely.
It came into some one's head that if this regiment and the faithless
body-guard could be brought together, the loyalty of the latter might be
revived and secured. So there was an entertainment given in the theatre
of the palace of Versailles, where the soldiers of the two regiments
were to make merry, sitting alternately at table. Such a feast, if
every man there was loyal in the extreme, could signify little, while
there was out of doors a whole rebellious nation,--millions of hungry
wretches clamouring for food and good government; and, whether such a
meeting signified much or little, it was certain that the king and his
family, should have had nothing to do with it, after he had been to
Paris to assure the people of his reliance upon them, assuming their
cockade as a declaration that he was in earnest.

The friends of the royal family thought this,--even the queen's own
ladies. One of them was requested by the queen to enter the theatre,
and observe what passed, in order to report it to the king and her.
What was the surprise of this lady, when in the midst of the
entertainment, the doors were thrown open, and their majesties appeared,
the queen having the Dauphin in her arms! The sight of them, looking
gratified and trustful, roused all the loyalty of the soldiers present;
and some imprudent acts were done. The queen's ladies handed white
cockades to the officers; the party drank the healths of the king and
queen, omitting that of the nation; they cheered the loyal air, "O,
Richard! O my king, the world is all forsaking thee:" and the whole
company were presently in a delirium of hope, and of defiance of the
people of Paris. The queen afterwards declared in public that she was
delighted with the Thursday's entertainment; and this set the people
inquiring what had delighted her so much.