im, bowing with
great show of respect, and humbly asking his orders.

"Have the horses put to my carriage without delay," he said, with no
further attempt at concealment, "that I may start for Montmedy."

They continued respectful, but were provided with various reasons why
they could not obey: the horses were at a distance; those in the stables
were not in condition to travel; pretext after pretext was advanced for
delay. In truth, no pretext was needed; the adjoining street was filled
with armed revolutionists, and in no case would the carriage have been
suffered to proceed.

As daybreak approached a detachment of dragoons rode into the town. They
were those who had been posted near Chalons, and who had ridden on
towards Montmedy after the king's passage. Missing him, they had
returned. Choiseul, their commander, pushed through the people and
entered the shop.

"You are environed here," he said to the king. "We are not strong enough
to take the carriage through; but if you will mount on horseback we can
force a passage through the crowd."

"If I were alone I should try it," said Louis. "I cannot do it as
matters stand. I am waiting for daylight; they do not refuse to let me
go on; moreover, M. de Bouille will soon be here."

He did not recognize the danger of delay. The crowd in the streets was
increasing; the bridge was barricaded; the authorities had sent a
messenger in haste to Paris to tell what had happened and ask orders
from the National Assembly.

"Tell M. de Bouille that I am a prisoner," said the king to Captain
Deslon, the commander of a detachment, who had just reached him. "I
suspect that he cannot do anything for me, but I desire him to do what
he can."

The queen meanwhile was urgently entreating Madame Sausse to use her
influence with her husband and procure an order for the king's release.
She found the good woman by no means inclined to favor her.

"You are thinking of the king," she said; "I am thinking of M. Sausse;
each is for her own husband."

By this time the throng in the streets was growing impatient and
violent. "To Paris! to Paris!" shouted the people. The king grew
frightened. Bouille had failed to appear. There was no indication of his
approach. The excitement grew momentarily greater.

During this anxious interval two officers rode rapidly up on the road
from Paris, and presented themselves before the king. They were
aides-de-camp of General Lafayette, commander of the Nati