"It must be good for there is the royal signature," he said.
A dozen hands were held out for it but Drouet snatched it up.
"But has it got the signature of the Assembly?" he demanded.
It was signed by a member of the Committee though not for the president.
"This is not the question," said the young patriot, "these travelers are not Baroness von Korff, a Russian lady, with her steward, her governess and her children, but the King and the Queen, the Prince and the Princess Royal and Lady Elizabeth, a court lady, and their guardsmen—the Royal Family in short. Will you or will you not let the Royal Family go out of the kingdom?"
This question was properly put, but it was too heavy for the town governors of a third-rate town to handle.
As their deliberation promised to take up some time, Sausse went home to see how his guests were faring.
They had refused to lay aside their wraps or sit down as this concession seemed to delay their approaching departure, which they took for granted.
All their faculties were concentrated on the master of the house who might be expected to bring the council's decision. When he arrived the King went to meet him.
"Well, what about the passport?" he asked, with anxiety he vainly strove to conceal.