Her Highness, with her female companions in
misfortune, exposed to these absurd forms, and to the gaze of insulting
and malignant curiosity. At length, about the middle of the day, they
were told that it was decreed that they should be detained till further
orders, leaving them the choice of prisons, between that of la Force and
of la Salpetriere.

Her Highness immediately decided on the former. It was at first
determined that she should be separated from Madame de Tourzel, but
humanity so far prevailed as to permit the consolation of her society,
with that of others of her friends and fellow-sufferers, and for a moment
the Princess enjoyed the only comfort left to her, that of exchanging
sympathy with her partners in affliction. But the cell to which she was
doomed proved her last habitation upon earth.

On the 1st of September the Marseillois began their murderous operations.
Three hundred persons in two days massacred upwards of a thousand defence
less prisoners, confined under the pretext of malpractices against the
State, or rather devotedness to the royal cause. The spirit which
produced the massacres of the prisons at Paris extended them through the
principal towns and cities all over France.

Even the universal interest felt for the Princesse de Lamballe was of no
avail against this frenzy. I remember once (as if it were from a
presentiment of what was to occur) the King observing to her, "I never
knew any but fools and sycophants who could keep themselves clear from
the lash of public censure. How is it, then, that you, my dear Princess,
who are neither, contrive to steer your bark on this dangerous coast
without running against the rocks on which so many good vessels like your
own have been dashed to pieces?" "Oh, Sire," replied Her Highness, "my
time is not yet come--I am not dead yet!" Too soon, and too horribly, her
hour did come!

The butchery of the prisons was now commenced. The Duc de Penthievre set
every engine in operation to save his beloved daughter-in-law. He sent
for Manuel, who was then Procureur of Paris. The Duke declared that half
his fortune should be Manuel's if he could but save the Princesse de
Lamballe and the ladies who were in the same prison with her from the
general massacre. Manuel promised the Duke that he would instantly set
about removing them all from the reach of the blood-hunters. He began
with those whose removal was least likely to attract attention, leaving
t