FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2415   2416   2417   2418   2419   2420   2421   2422   2423   2424   2425   2426   2427   2428   2429   2430   2431   2432   2433   2434   2435   2436   2437   2438   2439  
2440   2441   2442   2443   2444   2445   2446   2447   2448   2449   2450   2451   2452   2453   2454   2455   2456   2457   2458   2459   2460   2461   2462   2463   2464   >>   >|  
y for Arras, listened to my description with a chilling air, and, when I had finished, told me that all that had passed was terrific; that he knew the disposition of the Assembly, and that the greatest misfortunes would follow the drama of that night; and he begged my leave to withdraw that he might take time for deliberate reflection whether he should on the very next day emigrate, or pass over to the left side of the Assembly. He adopted the latter course, and never appeared again among my associates. On the 2d of October the military entertainment was followed up by a breakfast given at the hotel of the Body Guards. It is said that a discussion took place whether they should not march against the Assembly; but I am utterly ignorant of what passed at that breakfast. From that moment Paris was constantly in commotion; there were continual mobs, and the most virulent proposals were heard in all public places; the conversation was invariably about proceeding to Versailles. The King and Queen did not seem apprehensive of such a measure, and took no precaution against it; even when the army had actually left Paris, on the evening of the 5th of October, the King was shooting at Meudon, and the Queen was alone in her gardens at Trianon, which she then beheld for the last time in her life. She was sitting in her grotto absorbed in painful reflection, when she received a note from the Comte de Saint-Priest, entreating her to return to Versailles. M. de Cubieres at the same time went off to request the King to leave his sport and return to the palace; the King did so on horseback, and very leisurely. A few minutes afterwards he was informed that a numerous body of women, which preceded the Parisian army, was at Chaville, at the entrance of the avenue from Paris. The scarcity of bread and the entertainment of the Body Guards were the pretexts for the insurrection of the 5th and 6th of October, 1789; but it is clear to demonstration that this new movement of the people was a part of the original plan of the factious, insomuch as, ever since the beginning of September, a report had been industriously circulated that the King intended to withdraw, with his family and ministers, to some stronghold; and at all the popular assemblies there had been always a great deal said about going to Versailles to seize the King. At first only women showed themselves; the latticed doors of the Chateau were closed, and the Body Guard and Flanders regiment were drawn up in the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2415   2416   2417   2418   2419   2420   2421   2422   2423   2424   2425   2426   2427   2428   2429   2430   2431   2432   2433   2434   2435   2436   2437   2438   2439  
2440   2441   2442   2443   2444   2445   2446   2447   2448   2449   2450   2451   2452   2453   2454   2455   2456   2457   2458   2459   2460   2461   2462   2463   2464   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Versailles

 
Assembly
 

October

 
entertainment
 
breakfast
 

Guards

 
return
 

withdraw

 

passed

 

reflection


minutes

 
informed
 

numerous

 

Parisian

 

insurrection

 

pretexts

 

scarcity

 

Chaville

 
entrance
 
avenue

preceded

 
horseback
 

Priest

 

entreating

 

description

 
received
 

chilling

 

Cubieres

 
palace
 

demonstration


leisurely
 
listened
 

request

 
people
 
popular
 

assemblies

 

showed

 

Flanders

 

regiment

 

closed


Chateau

 

latticed

 

stronghold

 

factious

 
insomuch
 

original

 

movement

 

painful

 

circulated

 

intended