"
"Are you assured of the fidelity and trustworthiness of your
troops?" asked the queen, whose flaming eyes rested upon Lafayette's
countenance as if she wanted to read his utmost thoughts.
But these eyes did not confuse the cheerful calmness of the general.
"I know, madame, that I can rely upon the fidelity of my soldiers,"
answered he, confidently. "They are devoted to me to the death, and
as I shall command them, they will watch over the security of the
king and queen, and keep all injury from them."
The queen detected the touch of scorn in these loud-sounding words,
but she pretended to believe them. At last she really did believe
them, for Lafayette repeated emphatically that from this time
nothing more was to be feared for the royal family, and that all
danger was past. The guard should be chosen this night from his own
troops; the Paris National Guard should restore peace again in
Versailles, and keep an eye upon the crowds which had encamped upon
the great square before the palace.
Lafayette promised well for his army, for the howling, shrieking
women, for the cursing, raging men.
And the king was satisfied with these assurances of General
Lafayette, and so, too, was Marie Antoinette at last.
Louis ordered the garde du corps to march to Rambouillet, and
reserved only the necessary sentinels in the palace.
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