The question which excited the multitude was against the priesthood, whose members, known to favor royalty, were abhorred by the people. The king had refused to sign an act by virtue of which the priesthood would have been annihilated.
A butcher, named Legendre, cried to the King, “The people are weary of being your plaything and your victim!”
Meanwhile, those who could not gain an entrance to the besieged palace called loudly to those within, “Are they dead? Show us, then, their heads!”
“Let him put it on!” cried the butcher, thrusting a coarse red cap of liberty towards the King on the end of a pike.
The King smiled, and put the symbol of liberty upon his head.
“Long live the King!” now cried some voices.
The people now called upon the King to restore Roland—Madame Roland’s husband—to power, from which he had been dismissed.
The King was inflexible.
“This is not the moment for deliberation,” said the King.