MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF MARIE ANTOINETTE, QUEEN OF FRANCE

Being the Historic Memoirs of Madam Campan,
First Lady in Waiting to the Queen




Volume 6


CHAPTER V.


In the beginning of the spring of 1791, the King, tired of remaining at
the Tuileries, wished to return to St. Cloud. His whole household had
already gone, and his dinner was prepared there. He got into his carriage
at one; the guard mutinied, shut the gates, and declared they would not
let him pass. This event certainly proceeded from some suspicion of a
plan to escape. Two persons who drew near the King's carriage were very
ill treated. My father-in-law was violently laid hold of by the guards,
who took his sword from him. The King and his family were obliged to
alight and return to their apartments.

They did not much regret this outrage in their hearts; they saw in it a
justification, even in the eyes of the people, of their intention to leave
Paris.

So early as the month of March in the same year, the Queen began to busy
herself in preparing for her departure. I spent that month with her, and