. sa Vie, son Agonie, "etc., vol. i., p. 43.]
"Long live the king! Long live our father!" cried the touched and
pacified women, as trembling and with tears in their eyes, they left
the royal cabinet, in order to go to the women below, and announce
to them what the king had said.
But the royal words found no response among the excited masses. "We
are hungry, we want bread," shouted the women. "We are not going to
live on words any more. The king shall give us bread, and then we
shall see it proved that he loves us like a father; then we will go
back to Paris. If the baker believes that he can satisfy us with
words and fine speeches, he is mistaken."
"If he has no bread, he shall give us his wife to eat!" roared a man
with a pike in his hand and a red cap on his head. "The baker's wife
has eaten up all our bread, and it is no more than fair that we
should eat her up now."
"Give us the heart of the queen," was now the cry, "give us the
heart of the queen!"
Marie Antoinette heard the words, but she appeared not to be
alarmed. With dignity and composure, she cast a look at the
ministers and gentlemen, who, pale and speechless, had gathered
around the royal couple.
"I know that this crowd has come from Paris to demand my head! I
learned of my mother not to fear death, and I shall meet it with
courage and steadfastness.
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