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Marie Antoinette — Volume 06 by Jeanne Louise Henriette (Genet) Campan
page 53 of 87 (60%)
announce that, on the 20th, they would plant the tree of liberty at the
door of the National Assembly, and present a petition to the King
respecting the veto which he had placed upon the decree for the
deportation of the priests. This dreadful army crossed the garden of the
Tuileries, and marched under the Queen's windows; it consisted of people
who called themselves the citizens of the Faubourgs St. Antoine and St.
Marceau. Clothed in filthy rags, they bore a most terrifying appearance,
and even infected the air. People asked each other where such an army
could come from; nothing so disgusting had ever before appeared in Paris.

On the 20th of June this mob thronged about the Tuileries in still greater
numbers, armed with pikes, hatchets, and murderous instruments of all
kinds, decorated with ribbons of the national colours, Shouting, "The
nation for ever! Down with the veto!" The King was without guards. Some
of these desperadoes rushed up to his apartment; the door was about to be
forced in, when the King commanded that it should be opened. Messieurs de
Bougainville, d'Hervilly, de Parois, d'Aubier, Acloque, Gentil, and other
courageous men who were in the apartment of M. de Septeuil, the King's
first valet de chambre, instantly ran to his Majesty's apartment. M. de
Bougainville, seeing the torrent furiously advancing, cried out, "Put the
King in the recess of the window, and place benches before him." Six
royalist grenadiers of the battalion of the Filles Saint Thomas made their
way by an inner staircase, and ranged themselves before the benches. The
order given by M. de Bougainville saved the King from the blades of the
assassins, among whom was a Pole named Lazousky, who was to strike the
first blow. The King's brave defenders said, "Sire, fear nothing." The
King's reply is well known: "Put your hand upon my heart, and you will
perceive whether I am afraid." M. Vanot, commandant of battalion, warded
off a blow aimed by a wretch against the King; a grenadier of the Filles
Saint Thomas parried a sword-thrust made in the same direction. Madame
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