on constraint.

The new Constitution was prepared, and the king agreed to it; even
sending a letter to the Assembly to propose to swear to the new
Constitution in the place where it was framed,--in their chamber. The
members were highly delighted: all Paris appeared highly delighted. The
leaders of parties thronged to court: their majesties went to the
theatres; and when the deputies from the Assembly came to the palace to
assure the king how much satisfaction was felt at this agreement of all
parties, the queen, the princess royal, and the dauphin stood looking on
from a doorway behind. The king pointed to them, saying, "There are my
wife and children, who feel as I do."

All this, however, was false and hollow: all these celebrations were but
melancholy mirth. All thinking persons must have known that the king
could not really approve and rejoice in a new Constitution such as the
people liked,--a Constitution which took from him many and great powers
and privileges which he considered to be as truly his own as the throne
itself. On the other hand, the royal family believed that this act was
only one step towards the destruction of the monarchy altogether,--only
one stage towards their own total ruin. So, while each party was
applauding the other, and all wore smiles in public, there was no real
confidence and joy except among the ignorant and thoughtless. After the
queen had assured the deputies of her approbation and pleasure, she
said, in the privacy of her apartment, "These people do not like having
sovereigns. We shall be destroyed by their cunning and persevering
management. They are levelling the monarchy stone by stone."

The king felt the same. After professing the utmost satisfaction and
delight at this settlement of affairs, and hearing from the Assembly,
echoed by the acclamations of the people, that he had "obtained a new
title of grandeur and of glory," the king appeared at the door of the
apartment to which the queen had retired after the ceremony,--his face
so pale and so wretched that the queen uttered an exclamation as she
looked at him. He sank into a chair, and covered his eyes with his
handkerchief, saying, "All is lost! O, why were you a witness to this
humiliation? Why did you come to France to see--" His words were choked
by sobs. The queen had cast herself on her knees before him. She now
exclaimed to Madame Campan, "Go! Go!" in a tone which conveyed, "Why do
you remain to wit