excited at court. The master of ceremonies
pointed him out to Dumoriez with an angry and agitated mien,
exclaiming, "Ah, sir, no buckles to his shoes!" "Ah, sir," replied
Dumoriez, with mock gravity, "all is lost!"

Two measures, which the liberal party deemed essential, were presented
to the king by the ministry, but were rejected by him. The party urged
the ministers, as a body, to remonstrate; but a majority declined.
Madame Roland insisted that her husband should individually present a
remonstrance, which she prepared for him; it was couched in bold and
menacing language, and rather calculated to irritate than to persuade
the king. Roland read it to the king in full council; he listened
patiently to his minister's rebuke, but the next day dismissed him
from his office.

Satisfied with having discharged their duty to liberty, Roland and his
wife felt no regret at the loss of office. They ceased to meddle with
politics, and led a retired life, with the fearful anticipation that
the intervention of foreign troops would soon put an end to all their
hopes of constitutional freedom. Her appearance and manners at this
period of her life are thus described by one who visited her: "Her
eyes, her figure, and hair, were of remarkable beauty; her delicate
complexion had a freshness and color, which, joined to her reserved
yet ingenuous appearance, imparted a singular air of youth. She spoke
well, and without affectation; wit, good sense, propriety of
expression, keen reasoning, natural grace, all flowing without effort
from her rosy lips. Her husband resembled a Quaker, and she looked
like his daughter. Her child flitted about her with ringlets down to
her waist. She spoke of public affairs only, and I perceived that my
moderation inspired pity. Her mind was excited, but her heart remained
gentle. Although the monarchy was not yet overturned, she did not
conceal that symptoms of anarchy began to appear, and she declared
herself ready to resist them to death. I remember the calm and
resolute tone in which she declared that she was ready, if need were,
to place her head on the block. I confess that the image of that
charming head delivered over to the axe of the executioner made an
ineffaceable impression; for party excesses had not yet accustomed us
to such frightful ideas."

The fomenters of disturbance and the friends of anarchy were the party
of the _Mountain_, at the head of which were Robespierre, Danton,
Marat, &c. To