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either yielded or perished。 Santerre； certain of the issue； preferred
to take no part in this affair； he prudently holds back； he shies
away； and lets the crowd push him into the council chamber； where the
Queen； the young Dauphin； and the ladies have taken refuge。＇48＇
There； with his tall； corpulent figure； he formed a sort of shield to
forestall useless and compromising injuries。 In the mean time； in the
Oeil de B？uf； he lets things take their course； everything will be
done in his absence that ought to be done； and in this he seems to
have calculated justly。 On one side； in a window recess； sits the
King on a bench； almost alone； while in front of him； as a guard； are
four or five of the National Guards； on the other side； in the
apartments； is an immense crowd； hourly increasing according as the
rumor of the irruption spreads in the vicinity； fifteen or twenty
thousand persons； a prodigious accumulation； a pell…mell traversed by
eddies； a howling sea of bodies crushing each other； and of which the
simple flux and reflux would flatten against the walls obstacles ten
times as strong； an uproar sufficient to shatter the window panes；
〃frightful yells；〃 curses and imprecations； 〃Down with M。 Veto！〃 〃Let
Veto go to the devil！〃 〃Take back the patriot ministers！〃 〃He shall
sign； we won't go away till he does！〃＇49＇ Foremost among them all；
Legendre； more resolute than Santerre； declares himself the spokesman
and trustee of the powers of the sovereign people： 〃Sir；〃 says he to
the King； who； he sees； makes a gesture of surprise； 〃yes； Sir； listen
to us； you are made to listen to what we say！ You are a traitor！ You
have always deceived us； you deceive us now！ But look out； the measure
is full； the people are tired of being played upon ！ 〃 〃 Sire；
Sire；〃 exclaims another fanatic； 〃I ask you in the name of the hundred
thousand beings around us to recall the patriot ministers。 。 。 I
demand the sanction of the decree against the priests and the twenty
thousand men。 Either the sanction or you shall die！〃 But little is
wanting for the threat to be carried out。 The first comers are on
hand； 〃presenting pikes；〃 among them 〃a brigand；〃 with a rusty sword
blade on the end of a pole； 〃very sharp；〃 and who points this at the
King。 Afterwards the attempt at assassination is many times renewed；
obstinately； by three or four madmen determined to kill； and who make
signs of so doing； one； a shabby； ragged fellow； who keeps up his
excitement with 〃the foulest propositions；〃 the second one； 〃a so…
called conqueror of the Bastille；〃 formerly porte…tête for Foulon and
Berthier； and since driven out of the battalion； the third； a market…
porter； who； 〃for more than an hour；〃 armed with a saber； makes a
terrible effort to make his way to the king。＇50＇ Nothing is done。
The king remains impassible under every threat。 He takes the hand of
a grenadier who wishes to encourage him； and； placing it on his
breast； bids him； 〃See if that is the beating of a heart agitated by
fear。〃＇51＇ To Legendre and the zealots who call upon him to sanction；
he replies without the least excitement：
〃I have never departed from the Constitution。 。 。 。 I will do what
the Constitution requires me to do。 。 。 。 It is you who break the
law。〃
And； for nearly three hours； remaining standing； blockaded on his
bench；＇52＇ he persists in this without showing a sign of weakness or
of anger。 This cool deportment at last produces an effect； the
impression it makes on the spectators not being at all that which they
anticipated。 It is very clear that the personage before them is not
the monster which has been depicted to them； a somber； imperious
tyrant； the savage； cunning Charles IX。 they had hissed on the stage。
They see a man somewhat stout； with placid； benevolent features； whom
they would take； without his blue sash； for an ordinary； peaceable
bourgeois。＇53＇ His ministers； near by； three or four men in black
coats； gentlemen and respectable employees； are just what they seem to
be。 In another window recess stands his sister； Madame Elizabeth；
with her sweet and innocent face。 This pretended tyrant is a man like
other men； he speaks gently； he says that the law is on his side； and
nobody says the contrary； perhaps he is less wrong than he is thought
to be。 If he would only become a patriot！ A woman in the room
brandishes a sword with a cockade on its point； the King makes a sign
and the sword is handed to him； which he raises and； hurrahing with
the crowd； cries out： Vive la Nation！ That is already one good sign。 A
red cap is shaken in the air at the end of a pole。 Some one offers it
to him and he puts it on his head； applause bursts forth； and shouts
of Vive la Nation！ Vive la Liberte！ and even vive le Roi！
From this time forth the greatest danger is over。 But it is not that
the besiegers abandon the siege。 〃He did damned well；〃 they exclaim；
〃to put the cap on； and if he hadn't we would have seen what would
come of it。 And damn it； if he does not sanction the decree against
the priests； and do it right off； we will come back every day。 In
this way we shall tire him out and make him afraid of us。 But the
day wears on。 The heat is over…powering； the fatigue extreme； the King
less deserted and better protected。 Five or six of the deputies；
three of the municipal officers； a few officers of the National Guard；
have succeeded in making their way to him。 Pétion himself； mounted on
a sofa； harangues the people with his accustomed flattery。＇54＇ At the
same time Santerre； aware of the opportunity being lost； assumes the
attitude of a liberator； and shouts in his rough voice： 〃I answer for
the royal family。 Let me see to it。〃 A line of National Guards forms
in front of the King； when； slowly and with difficulty； urged by the
mayor； the crowd melts away； and； by eight o'clock in the evening； it
is gone。
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Notes：
＇1＇ Moniteur； X。 39 and following pages （sessions of Oct。 5 and 6；
1791）。 Speeches by Chabot； Couthon； Lequinio； and Vergniaud。 … Mercure
de France； Oct。 15。 Speech by Robespierre； May 17； 1790。 〃The king is
not the nation's representative； but its clerk。 … Cf。 Ernest Hamel；
〃Vie de Robespierre。〃
＇2＇ Moniteur； XIII。 97 （session of July 6； 1792）
＇3＇ Buchez et Roux； XIII。 61； Jan。28； 1792。 The King in his usually
mild way calls the attention of the Assembly to the usurpation it is
committing。 〃The form adopted by you is open to important
observations。 I shall not extend these to…day； the gravity of the
situation demands that I concern myself much more with maintaining
harmonious sentiments than with continually discussing my rights。〃
＇4＇ Sauzay； II。 99。 Letter of the deputy Vernerey to the Directory of
Doubs： 〃The Directory of the department may always act with the
greatest severity against the seditious； and； apart from the article
relating to their pension； follow the track marked out in the decree。
If the executive desires to impede the operations of the Directory。 。
。 the latter has its recourse in the National Assembly； which in all
probability will afford it a shelter against ministerial attacks。〃
Moniteur； XII。 202 （session of April 23）。 Report of Roland； Minister
of the Interior。 Already at this date forty…two departments had
expelled or interned the unsworn ecclesiastics。
＇5＇ Mercure…de…France； Feb。25。
＇6＇ Moniteur； X。 440 （session of Nov。22； 1791）。 A letter to M。
Southon； Director of the Mint at Paris； is read； 〃complaining of an
arbitrary order； that of the Minister of the Interior； to report
himself at Pau on the 25th of this month； under penalty of dismissal。〃
Isnard supports the charge： 〃M。 Southon；〃 he says； 〃is here at work on
a very circumstantial denunciation of the Minister of the Interior
＇Applause from the galleries。＇ If citizens who are zealous enough to
make war on abuses are sent back t