alace, would turn their cannon against it. The
king sent a messenger to the Assembly, to request them to depute some of
their body to be a safeguard to the throne in this extremity. The
Assembly took no notice of the message; but went on with their regular
business.

The magistrate of the district saw now, from the temper of the people
outside, no chance but of destruction to every individual within the
palace, if once the siege began. The error was in ever pretending to
make a defence, while such a helpless being as the king must be the one
to give orders. It was too late to help that now. There were the
cannon, with the gunners surlily asking whether it was expected of them
to fire upon the people: and there were the people, too many and too
angry to be got rid of. The magistrate of the district, Roederer,
visited the palace, and begged a private interview with the king. He
was shown into a small apartment, which the king and queen entered.
Roederer proposed their going over to the Assembly without a moment's
delay, to commit themselves and their children to the protection of the
representatives of the people. "No, no!" exclaimed the queen, blushing,
no doubt, at the thought of the infamy of deserting, at the fatal
moment, their adherents, their steady Swiss, and the servants of the
household. Roederer told her that by remaining she would render herself
responsible for the lives of the whole family; for that no power could
save them within the walls of the palace. She said no more. The king
sat, the picture of indifference, with his hands upon his knees,
listening. When there was a pause, and he must say something, he looked
over his shoulder to the queen, and said, "Let us go."

As they left the apartment the queen told Madame Campan to remain till
either the family should return, or she should be sent for to join her
mistress,--no one knew where. The family never returned.

Only two ladies were permitted to accompany them,--the Princess de
Lamballe and Madame de Tourzel. In order to fulfil her duty,--in order
not to desert Louis,--his governess was compelled to leave her daughter
Pauline, only seventeen years old, in this besieged palace, among the
soldiers. Pauline escaped with life and safety, and joined her mother
soon after.

As the king walked through the apartments of the palace, followed by his
family, Roederer went before him, saying, "Make way! The king is going
to the Assembly." How th