The mayor of
Paris, Petion, had come at last, and, hailed loudly by the crowd
which occupied the whole space in the rear of the National Guards,
he approached the king.
"Sire," said he, "I have just learned what is going on here."
"I am surprised at that," answered the king, with a reproachful
look, "the mayor of Paris ought to have learned before this about
this tumult, which has now been lasting three hours."
"But is now at an end, sire, since I have come," cried Petion,
proudly. "You have now nothing more to fear, sire."
"To fear?" replied Louis with a proud shrug. "A man who has a good
conscience does not fear. Feel," he said, taking the hand of the
grenadier who stood at his side, "lay your hand upon my heart, and
tell this man whether it beats faster." [Footnote: The king's words.
The grenadier's name whose hand the king took, was Lalanne. Later,
in the second year of "the one and indivisible republic," he was
condemned to die by the guillotine, because, as stated in the
sentence, he showed himself on the 30th of June, 1798, as a common
servant of tyranny, and boasted to other citizens that Capet took
his hand, laid it upon his heart, and said: "Feel, my friend,
whether it beats quicker."--See Hue, "Dernieres Annees de Louis
Seize," p. 180.]
Petion now turned to the people and commanded them to withdraw.
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