attention of her pages and others about her from her real purpose. As it
was well known that M. de St. Priest had pointed out Rambouillet as a fit
asylum for the mob, she fancied that an understanding on the part of her
suite that they were to halt there, and prepare for her reception, would
protect her project of proceeding much farther.

"When the council had broken up and the King returned, he said to the
Queen, 'It is decided.'

"'To go, I hope?' said Her Majesty.

"'No'--(though in appearance calm, the words remained on the lips of the
King, and he stood for some moments incapable of utterance; but,
recovering, added)--'To Paris!'

"The Queen, at the word Paris, became frantic. She flung herself wildly
into the arms of her friends.

"'Nous sommes perdus! nous sommes perdus!' cried she, in a passion of
tears. But her dread was not for herself. She felt only for the danger
to which the King was now going to expose himself; and she flew to him,
and hung on his neck.

"'And what,' exclaimed she, 'is to become of all our faithful friends and
attendants!'

"'I advise them all,' answered His Majesty, 'to make the best of their
way out of France; and that as soon as possible.'

"By this time, the apartments of the Queen were filled with the