"Disaster is
hovering over us," he said, sadly, "Death too arrays himself on the
side of our enemies!"
Marie Antoinette was also very deeply moved by the tidings. "He
wanted to save us, and therefore must die! The burden was too heavy,
the pillar has broken under the weight; the temple will plunge down
and bury us beneath its ruins, if we do not hasten to save
ourselves! Mirabeau's bequest was his counsel to speedy and secret
flight! We must follow his advice, we must remove from Paris. May
the spirit of Mirabeau enlighten the heart of the king, that he may
be willing to do what is necessary,--that he may be willing to leave
Paris!"
CHAPTER XVIII.
REVOLUTION IN THE THEATRE.
All Paris was again in commotion, fear, and uproar. The furies of
the revolution, the market-women, went howling again through the
streets on the 20th of June, 1791, uttering their horrid curses upon
the king and the Austrian woman, and hurling their savage words and
dirty songs against Madame Veto, against la chienne d'Autriche.
Around the Tuileries stood in immense masses the corps of the
National Guard, with grave and threatening mien, and with difficulty
holding back the people, who were filling the whole broad square in
front of the palace, and who could only with great effort be
prevented from breaking through those strong cordons of guards who
held both ends of the street leading to the Tuileries, and kept at
least the middle of the way free and open.
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