nd had been robbed of everything I possessed in the world by
the mob. "Come back with me," said he, "and I will have it restored to
you." I knew it was of no avail, but policy stimulated me to comply; and
I returned with him into the garden toward the palace.
What should I have felt, had I been aware, when this man came up, that I
was accosted by the villain Danton! The person who was with me knew him,
but dared not speak, and watched a chance of escaping in the crowd for
fear of being discovered. When I looked round and found myself alone, I
said I had lost my brother in the confusion, which added to my grief.
"Oh, never mind," said Danton; "take hold of my arm; no one shall molest
you. We will look for your brother, and try to recover your things;" and
on we went together: I, weeping, I may truly say, for my life, stopped at
every step, while he related my doleful story to all whose curiosity was
excited by my grief.
On my appearing arm in arm with Danton before the windows of the Queen's
apartments, we were observed by Her Majesty and the Princesses. Their
consternation and perplexity, as well as alarm for my safety, may readily
be conceived. A signal from the window instantly apprised me that I
might enter the palace, to which my return had been for some time
impatiently expected.
Finding it could no longer be of any service to carry on the farce of
seeking my pretended brother, I begged to be escorted out of the mob to
the apartments of the Princesse de Lamballe.
"Oh," said Danton, "certainly! and if you had only told the people that
you were going to that good Princess, I am sure your things would not
have been taken from you. But," added he, "are you perfectly certain
they were not for that detestable Marie Antoinette?"
"Oh!" I replied, "quite, quite certain!" All this while the mob was at
my heels.
"Then," said he, "I will not leave you till you are safe in the
apartments of the Princesse de Lamballe, and I will myself make known to
her your loss: she is so good," continued he, "that I am convinced she
will make you just compensation."
I then told him how much I should be obliged by his doing so, as I had
been commissioned to deliver the things, and if I was made to pay for
them, the loss would be more serious than I could bear.
"Bah! bah!" exclaimed he. "Laissez moi faire! Laissez moi faire!"
When he came to the inner door, which I pretended to know nothing about,
he told the gentleman of t
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