“‘Oh, Sire! why am I not animated with the courage of Maria Theresa? Let me go with my children to the National Assembly, as she did to the Hungarian Senate, with my Imperial brother, Joseph, in her arms and Leopold in her womb, when Charles the Seventh of Bavaria had deprived her of all her German dominions, and she had already written to the Duchesse de Lorraine to prepare her an asylum, not knowing where she should be delivered of the precious charge she was then bearing; but I, like the mother of the Gracchi, like Cornelia, more esteemed for my birth than for my marriage, am the wife of the King of France, and I see we shall be murdered in our beds for the want of our own exertions!’
“The King remained as if paralysed and stupefied, and made no answer. The Princesse Elizabeth then threw herself at the Queen’s feet, imploring her to consent to go to Paris.
“‘To Paris!’ exclaimed Her Majesty.
“‘Yes, Madame,’ said the King. ‘I will put an end to these horrors; and tell the people so.’
“On this, without waiting for the Queen’s answer, he opened the balcony, and told the populace he was ready to depart with his family.
“This sudden change caused a change equally sudden in the rabble mob. All shouted, ‘Vive le roi! Vive la nation!’
“Re-entering the room from the window, the King said, ‘It is done. This affair will soon be terminated.’
“‘And with it,’ said the Queen, ‘the monarchy!’