--is he dead?--throw us
the heads!" they shouted. Members of the Assembly, Girondist
journalists, political characters, Garat, Gorsas, Marat, mingled in this
crowd, and uttered their jokes as to this martyrdom of shame to which
the king was being subjected. There was for a moment a report of his
assassination.

There was no cry of horror thereat among the populace, which raised its
eyes towards the balcony, expecting to see the carcase. Still, in the
very whirlwind of its passion, the multitude appeared to require
reconciliation. One of the multitude handed a _bonnet rouge_ to Louis
XVI. at the end of a pike. "Let him put it on! let him put it on!"
exclaimed the mob, "it is the sign of patriotism, if he puts it on we
will believe in his good faith." The king made a signal to one of his
grenadiers to hand him the _bonnet rouge_, and smiling, he put it on his
head; and then arose shouts of _Vive le Roi!_ The people had crowned its
chief with the symbol of liberty, the cap of democracy replaced the
bandeau of Rheims. The people were conquerors, and felt appeased.

However, fresh orators, mounting on the shoulders of their comrades,
demanded incessantly of the king, sometimes by entreaties, sometimes
with threats, to promise the recall of Roland, and the sanction of the
decrees. Louis XVI., invincible in his constitutional resistance,
eluded, or refused to acquiesce in the injunctions of the malcontents.
"Guardian of the prerogative of the executive power, I will not
surrender to violence," he answered: "this is not the moment for
deliberation, when it is impossible to deliberate freely." "Do not fear,
sire," said a grenadier of the national guard to him. "My friend," was
the king's reply, taking his hand, and placing it on his breast, "place
your hand there, and see if my heart beats quicker than usual." This
action, and the language of unshaken intrepidity, seen and heard in the
crowd, had its effect on the rebels.

A fellow in tatters, holding a bottle in his hand, came towards the
king, and said, "if you love the people, drink to their health!" Those
who surrounded the prince, afraid of poison as much as the poignard,
entreated the king not to drink. Louis XVI., extending his arm, took the
bottle, raised it to his lips, and drank "to the nation!" This
familiarity with the multitude, represented by a beggar, consummated the
king's popularity. Renewed cries of _Vive le Roi!_ burst from all
tongues and reached even the