Sauce had an aged mother—a woman of some eighty years of age. She was born in the reign of Louis XIV, and was a Royalist. She entered the chamber; and seeing the King and Queen bowed down with sorrow, and the children sleeping on the bed, which had never been destined for such a mournful honor, she fell on her knees beside it, repeated a prayer, and, turning towards the Queen, “Madame,” said she, “will you allow me to kiss the hands of the two innocents?”
The Queen bowed her head, in token of assent.
The good woman kissed their hands, and left the room, sobbing, as if her heart would break.
The Queen was the only one who did not sleep.
The King, who had need, whatever his preoccupation of mind might be, to eat and sleep well, having neither ate nor slept to his satisfaction, was distracted.
About half-past six, M. Deslon was announced.
M. Deslon had arrived from Dun with about a hundred men.
He had found the Rue de l’Hôpital barricaded; had held a parley; and demanding admission to the presence of the King, was accorded permission to visit him.
He informed them how, at the sound of the tocsin, he had hurried on; and that M. de Bouillé, warned by his son and M. de Raigecourt, would, without doubt, arrive in a short time.
The King, however, seemed as if he did not hear him.