confidence he might rely upon him.

My father-in-law, to whom Comte d'Inisdal repeated what he had said to me,
took the commission upon himself, and went to the Queen's apartments. The
King was playing at whist with the Queen, Monsieur, and Madame; Madame
Elisabeth was kneeling on a stool near the table. M. Campan informed the
Queen of what had been communicated to me; nobody uttered a word. The
Queen broke silence and said to the King, "Do you hear, Sire, what Campan
says to us?"--"Yes, I hear," said the King, and continued his game.
Monsieur, who was in the habit of introducing passages from plays into his
conversation, said to my father-in-law, "M. Campan, that pretty little
couplet again, if you please;" and pressed the King to reply. At length
the Queen said, "But something must be said to Campan." The King then
spoke to my father-in-law in these words: "Tell M. d'Inisdal that I cannot
consent to be carried off!" The Queen enjoined M. Campan to take care
and, report this answer faithfully. "You understand," added she, "the
King cannot consent to be carried off."

Comte d'Inisdal was very much dissatisfied with the King's answer, and
went out, saying, "I understand; he wishes to throw all the blame,
beforehand, upon those who are to devote themselves for him."

He went away, and I thought the enterprise would be abandoned. However,
the Queen remained alone with me till midnight, preparing her cases of
valuables, and ordered me not to go to bed. She imagined the King's
answer would be understood as a tacit consent, and merely a refusal to
participate in the design. I do not know what passed in the King's
apartments during the night; but I occasionally looked out at the windows:
I saw the garden clear; I heard no noise in the palace, and day at length
confirmed my opinion that the project had been given up. "We must,