those who saw him an impression of unusual force. Whilst he
mustered his army in the Champs Elysees, and recruiting parties were
sent through the streets, an emissary from the Hotel de Ville
hastened to warn the Government at Versailles. He was able to announce
that the National Guard were coming.

Lafayette appeared late upon the scene, and did nothing to hinder the
expedition of Maillard. He thought the danger contemptible, and
believed that there were resources at Versailles enough to stop it,
although there were seven or eight thousand women and some hundreds of
men among them. Both Necker and Mounier, the President of the
Assembly, confirm the fact.

When the news of what they must be prepared for reached ministers, the
king was out shooting, some miles away, and nothing could be done
without him. The queen was found at the Trianon, which she never saw
again. An officer who came on foot from Paris told the king of his
danger. He refused his name, but stated that there was no man in the
service who had greater reason to complain. A mounted messenger
arrived from the Minister of the Interior, and Lewis took horse and
galloped to Versailles. The streets were already crowded with
disorderly people, and shots were fired as he rode by.

The roads from Paris to Versailles cross the Seine at three points,
and the general officers who were in the ministry declared that they
might be defended with the troops that were at hand. St. Priest, the
Minister of the Interior, advised the king to meet the army of Paris
at Sevres, and order it to retire. If they refused, he thought that
they could be beaten.

Necker was against giving battle, and two important colleagues were
with him. He was ready to take the king to Paris, seeing the
objections, as he always did to every proposal, but hoping that public
opinion, stimulated by the presence of the Court, which had not been
seen there for generations, would sustain the Crown against the
Assembly. He had held that opinion from the first, and he refused to
be answerable for civil war. Lewis, unable to decide, went to consult
the queen. She would be sent away, with her children, if there was a
fight. She declared that she would remain if the king remained, and
would not allow him to incur dangers which she did not share. This
resolution made it impossible for him to adopt a manly or spirited
course. The Council broke up without deciding anything.

Whilst this was going on, between