' He then
compared Livy with Tacitus, and thought that the latter was far
superior to the former in point of style." [Footnote: See
Beauchesne, vol. i., p. 396.] The king went on talking about Latin
authors while the carriage was carrying him through the roaring mob
to the Convention, which Desege addressed in his defence in these
courageous words: "I look for judges among you, but see only
accusers."
The king was completely calm, yet he knew that his life was
threatened, and that he was standing before a tribunal of death. As
on the day when he was first taken to the Convention, he requested
Malesherbes to forward a note to the priest whose attendance he
desired, and who he believed would not deny his presence and
attentions. His name was Edgewarth de Pirmont. The time was not
distant when not the services of advocates were wanted by the king,
but exclusively those of the priest.
The sentence of death was pronounced on January 26, 1793. Louis
received it calmly, and desired merely to see his family, to have a
confessor come to him, and to prepare himself for his death.
During these dreadful weeks Marie Antoinette was separated from her
husband, alone with her children, who no longer were able to smile,
but who sat day after day with fixed eyes and silent lips. The queen
knew that the king had been accused, had made a private reply to the
charges brought against him, and had been brought before the
Convention.
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