person was responsible. In the morning hours of the 6th of October she
was convinced that Louis was that person.

In the early hours of that day a knot of women, one of them beating a
drum, others lugubriously chanting _du pain, du pain_, bread, bread,
appeared in the streets of Paris. Growing in numbers as they advanced,
an inchoate mob of women, men and boys, they proceeded to the Hotel de
Ville; there perhaps they would find relief? But there was no relief,
only tumult, until Maillard, a patriot agitator, conspicuous as one of
the captors of the Bastille and since, harangued them. Maillard, who
was in touch with the leading spirits among the politicians of the
sections, told the women that there was nothing to do at the Hotel de
Ville, but that he would lead them to Versailles, where they could see
the King and persuade him to give them bread and to come back with them
to Paris.

A motley procession poured out from Paris, following Maillard into the
country roads and villages on the way to Versailles. Armed men had
joined the women, and a few cannon had been found and were dragged by
hand. {86} Meanwhile La Fayette, always sent for in emergencies, had
arrived at the Hotel de Ville; while alarming reports began to reach
Versailles of the approach of the women of Paris. La Fayette was
quickly joined by a large force of national guards, and while he
awaited instructions and pacified them with occasional harangues,
Bailly and his councillors debated as to what course to take. Finally
about five in the afternoon it was decided that La Fayette and his men
should proceed to Versailles to preserve order and act according to
circumstances.

Long before the Parisian troops could arrive, Versailles had been taken
by storm by the women. They tramped in under a beating rain, many
having lagged or fallen exhausted by the way, and at once sent
deputations to the assembly and the King. They wanted food, and they
wanted decrees that would put an end to starvation. To the men of the
regiment of Flanders, drawn up to protect the palace, they announced
the same thing, and their appeals were so irresistible that after some
hours the colonel of the regiment, on declaring that he could not
answer for his men any longer, got permission to return to barracks.

{87} But by this time La Fayette had reached the scene, and had
stationed his battalions so as to protect the palace. An anxious night
was passed. In the mob were very