ueen upon his right
hand, his sister on his left, their arms encircling his neck, and
their heads resting upon his breast. The dauphin sat upon his father's
knee, with his arm around his neck. The beautiful princess, with
dishevelled hair, threw herself between her father's knees. An hour
passed, during which not an articulate word was spoken; but cries, and
groans, and occasional shrieks of anguish, which pierced even the
thick wall of the Temple, and were heard in the street below, rose
from the group. For two hours the agonizing interview was continued.
As they gradually regained some little composure, in low tones they
whispered messages of tenderness and love, interrupted by sobs, and
kisses, and blinding floods of tears. Louis XVI. described his trial,
excusing those who had sentenced him, gave some religious advice to
his children, enjoined them to forgive his enemies and bless them. A
few beams of daylight began to penetrate the grated windows of the
gloomy prison. The hours passed away, while the king listened to the
gathering of the troops in the court yard and around the Temple. At
nine o'clock a tumultuous noise was heard of men ascending the
staircase. The _gens d'armes_ entered, and conveyed him to the
carriage at the entrance. The morning was damp and chilly, and gloomy
clouds darkened the sky; sixty drums were beating at the heads of the
horses, and an army of troops, with all the most formidable enginery
of war, preceded, surrounded, and followed his carriage. They reached
the _Place de la Revolution_ at twenty minutes past ten o'clock. An
immense crowd filled the place, above which towered the guillotine.
With a firm tread he ascended the steps of the scaffold, looked for a
moment on the keen and polished edge of the axe, and then, turning to
the vast throng, said, in a voice clear and untremulous, "People, I
die innocent of all the crimes imputed to me. I pardon the authors of
my death, and pray to God that the blood you are about to shed may not
fall again on France." The drums were ordered to beat, and Louis XVI.
was no more.

_Directions for forming the Tableau._--This interesting picture
contains seven figures: Louis XVI., his wife the queen, Madame
Elizabeth, the king's son and daughter, and two _gens d'armes_. The
stage scenery must be placed in the following order: The background of
the stage should represent the granite walls of a prison, with grated
windows, massive doors, to which are attac