The　little　dog；　with　its　long；　curly　locks　of　hair；　put　its　fore…
  paws　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　boy　and　eagerly　and　tenderly　licked
  his　laughing；　rosy　face。
  〃Now；　my　Louis；〃　asked　the　queen；　〃have　I　guessed　right？wasn't　it
  the　doggy　that　you　wanted　so　much？〃
  〃Mamma　queen　has　guessed　it；〃　cried　the　boy　joyfully；　putting　his
  arms　around　the　neck　of　the　dog。　〃Does　Moufflet　belong　to　my
  inheritance　too？　Do　I　receive　him；　since　my　brother　has　left　him
  behind？〃
  〃Yes；　my　son；　the　little　dog　belongs　to　your　inheritance；〃　answered
  the　king；　with　a　sad　smile。
  The　child　shouted　with　pleasure；　and　pressed　the　dog　close　to　his
  breast。　〃Moufflet　is　mine！〃　he　cried；　glowing　with　joy；　〃Moufflet　is
  my　inheritance！〃
  The　queen　slowly　raised　to　heaven　her　eyes；　red　with　weeping。　〃Oh；
  the　innocence　of　childhood；　the　happiness　of　childhood！〃　said　she；
  softly；　〃why　do　they　not　go　with　us　through　life？　why　must　we　tread
  them　under　feet　like　the　violets　arid　roses　of　my　son？　A　kingdom
  falls　to　him　as　his　portion；　and　yet　he　takes　pleasure　in　the　little
  dog　which　only　licks　his　hands！　Love　is　the　fairest　inheritance；　for
  love　remains　with　us　till　death！〃
  CHAPTER　XI。
  KING　LOUIS　THE　SIXTEENTH。
  The　14th　of　July　had　broken　upon　Paris　with　its　fearful　events。　The
  revolution　had　for　the　first　time　opened　the　crater；　after
  subterranean　thunder　had　long　been　heard；　and　after　the　ground　of
  Paris　had　long　been　shaken。　The　glowing　lava…streams　of　intense
  excitement；　popular　risings；　and　murder；　had　broken　out　and　flooded
  all　Paris；　and　before　them　judgment；　discretion；　and　truth　even；　had
  taken　flight。
  The　people　had　stormed　the　Bastile　with　arms；　killed　the　governor；
  and　for　the　first　time　the　dreadful　cry　〃To　the　lamp…post！〃　was
  heard　in　the　streets　of　Paris；　for　the　first　time　the　iron　arms　of
  the　lamp…posts　had　been　transformed　to　gallows；　on　which　those　were
  suspended　whom　the　people　had　declared　guilty。
  Meanwhile　the　lava…streams　of　revolution　had　not　yet　flowed　out　as
  far　as　Versailles。
  On　the　evening　of　the　14th　of　July；　peace　and　silence　had　settled
  early　upon　the　palace；　after　a　whole　day　spent　in　the　apartments　of
  the　king　and　queen　with　the　greatest　anxiety；　and　after　resolution
  had　followed　resolution　in　the　efforts　to　come　to　a　decision。
  Marie　Antoinette　had　early　withdrawn　to　her　rooms。　The　king；　too；
  had　retired　to　rest；　and　had　already　fallen　into　a　deep　slumber　upon
  his　bed。　He　had　only　slept　a　few　hours；　however；　when　he　heard
  something　moving　near　his　bed；　with　the　evident　intention　of
  awakening　him。　The　king　recognized　his　valet；　who；　with　signs　of　the
  greatest　alarm　in　his　face；　announced　the　Duke　de　Liancourt；　grand
  maitre　de　la　garde…robe　of　his　majesty；　who　was　in　the　antechamber；
  and　who　pressingly　urged　an　immediate　audience　with　the　king。　Louis
  trembled　an　instant；　and　tried　to　think　what　to　do。　Then　he　rose
  from　his　bed　with　a　quick　and　energetic　motion；　and　ordered　the
  valet　to　dress　him　at　once。　After　this　had　been　done　with　the　utmost
  rapidity；　the　king　ordered　that　the　Duke　de　Liancourt　should　be
  summoned　to　the　adjacent　apartment；　when　he　would　receive　him。
  As　the　king　went　out　in　the　greatest　excitement；　he　saw　the　duke；
  whose　devotion　to　the　person　of　the　king　was　well　known；　standing
  before　him　with　pale；　distorted　countenance　and　trembling　limbs。
  〃What　has　happened；　my　friend？〃　asked　the　king；　in　breathless　haste。
  〃Sire；〃　answered　the　Duke　de　Liancourt；　with　suppressed　voice；　〃in
  the　discharge　of　my　office；　which　permits　the　closest　approach　to
  your　majesty；　I　have　undertaken　to　bring　you　tidings　which　are　now
  so　confirmed；　and　which　are　so　important　and　dreadful；　that　it　would
  be　a　folly　to　try　to　keep　what　has　happened　longer　from　your
  knowledge。〃
  〃You　speak　of　the　occurrences　in　the　capital？〃　asked　the　king；
  slightly　drawing　back。
  〃I　have　been　told　that　your　majesty　has　not　yet　been　informed；〃
  continued　the　duke；　〃and　yet　in　the　course　of　yesterday　the　most
  dreadful　events　occurred　in　Paris。　The　head　of　the　army　had　not
  ventured　to　send　your　majesty　and　the　cabinet　any　report。　It　was
  known　yesterday　in　Versailles　at　nightfall　that　the　people；　with；
  arms　in　their　hands；　had　stormed　and　destroyed　the　Bastile。　I　have
  just　received　a　courier　from　Paris；　and　these　tidings　are　confirmed
  with　the　most　horrible　particularity。　Sire；　I　held　it　my　duty　as　a
  faithful　servant　of　the　crown　to　break　the　silence　which　has
  hitherto　hindered　your　majesty　from　seeing　clearly　and　acting
  accordingly。　In　Paris；　not　only　has　the　Bastile　been　stormed　by　the
  people；　but　truly　dreadful　crimes　and　murders　have　taken　place。　The
  bloody　heads　of　Delaunay　and　Flesselles　were　carried　on　pikes
  through　the　city　by　wild　crowds　of　people。　A　part　of　the
  fortifications　of　the　Bastile　have　been　levelled。　Several　of　the
  invalides；　who　were　guarding　the　fort；　have　been　found　suspended
  from　the　lantern…posts。　A　want　of　fidelity　has　begun　to　appear　in
  the　other　regiments。　The　armed　people　now　arrayed　in　the　streets　of
  Paris　are　estimated　at　two　hundred　thousand　men。　They　fear　this　very
  night　a　rising　of　the　whole　population　of　the　city。〃
  The　king　had　listened　standing；　as　in　a　sad　dream。　His　face　had
  become　pale；　but　his　bearing　was　unchanged。
  〃There　is　then　a　revolt！〃　said　Louis　XVI。；　after　a　pause；　as　if
  suddenly　awakening　from　deep　thought。
  〃No；　sire；〃　answered　the　duke；　earnestly；　〃it　is　a　revolution。〃
  〃The　queen　was　right；〃　said　the　monarch；　softly；　to　himself；　〃and
  now　rivers　of　blood　would　be　necessary　to　hide　the　ruin　that　has
  grown　so　great。　But　my　resolution　is　taken；　the　blood　of　the　French
  shall　not　be　poured　out。〃
  〃Sire；〃　cried　Liancourt；　with　a　solemn　gesture；　〃the　safety　of
  France　and　of　the　royal　family　lies　in　this　expression　of　your
  majesty。　I　ought　to　be　and　I　must　be　plain…spoken　this　hour。　The
  greatest　danger　lies　in　your　majesty's　following　the　faithless
  counsels　of　your　ministers。　How　I　bless　this　hour　which　is　granted
  me　to　stand　face　to　face　with　your　majesty；　and　dare　to　address
  myself　to　your　own　judgment　and　to　your　heart！　Sire；　the　spirit　of
  the　infatuated　capital　will　make　rapid　and　monstrous　steps　forward。
  I　conjure　you　make　your　appearance　in　the　National　Assembly　to…day；
  and　utter　there　the　word　of　peace。　Your　appearance　will　work
  wonders；　it　will　disarm　the　parties　and　make　this　body　of　men　the
  truest　allies　of　the　crown。〃
  The　king　looked　at　him　with　a　long；　penetrating　glance。　The　youthful
  fire　in　which　the　noble　duke　had　spoken　appeared　to　move　the　king。
  He　extended　his　hand　and　pressed　the　duke's　in　his　own。　Then　he　said
  softly：　〃You　are　yourself　one　of　the　most　influential　members　of
  this　National　Assembly；　my　lord　duke。　Can　you　give　me　your　personal
  word　that　my　appearance　there　will　be　viewed　as　indicating　the
  interest　of　the　crown　in　the　welfare　of　France？〃
  At　this　moment　the　first　glow　of　the　morning　entered　the　apartment；
  and　overpowered　the　pale　candle…light　which　till　then　had
  illuminated　the　room。
  〃The　Assembly　longs　every　day　and　every　hour　for　the　conciliatory
  words　of　your　majesty；〃　cried　Liancourt。　〃The　doubts　and　disquiet
  into　which　the　National　Assembly　is　falling　more　and　more　every　day
  are　not　to　be　dispelled　in　any　other　way　than　by　the　appearance　of
  your　majesty's　gracious　face。　I　beseech　you　to　appear　to…day　at　the
  National　Assembly。　The　service　of　to…day；　which　begins　in　a　few
  hours；　may　take　the　most　unfortunate　turn；　if　you；　sire；　do　not　take
  this　saving　step。〃
  Just　then　the　door　opened；　and　Monsieur；　together　with　Count
  d'Artois；　entered。　Both　brothers　of　the　king　appeared　to　be　in　the
  greatest　excitement。　From　their　appearance　and　gestures　it　could　be
  inferred　that　the　news　brought　by　the　Duke　de　Liancourt　had　reached
  the　palace　of　Versailles。
  Liancourt　at　once　approached　the　Count　d'Artois；　and　said　to　him　in
  decisive　tones：
  〃Prince；　your　head　is　threatened　by　the　people。　I　have　with　my　own
  eyes　seen　the　poster　which　announces　this　fearful　proscription。〃
  The　prince　uttered　a　cry　of　terror　at　these　words；　and　stood　in　the
  middle　of　the　room　like　one　transfixed。
  〃It　is　good；　if　the　people　think　so；〃　he　said　then；　recovering
  himself。　〃I　am；　like　the　people；　for　open　war。　They　want　my　head；
  and　I　want　their　heads。　Why　do　we　not　fire？　A　fixed　policy；　no
  quarter　to　the　so…called　freedom　ideas…cannon　well　served！　These
  alone　can　save　us！〃
  〃His　majesty　the　king　has　come　to　a　different　conclusion！〃　said　the
  Duke　de　Liancourt；　bowing　low　before　the　king；　who　stood　calmly　by
  with　folded　arms。
  〃I　beg　my　brothers；　the　Count　de　Provence　and　the　Count　d'Artois；　to
  accompany　me　this　morning　to　the　Assembly　of　States…General；〃　said
  the　king；　in　a　firm　tone。
  〃I　wish　to　go　thither　in　order　to　announce　to　the　Assembly　my
  resolution　to　withdraw　my　troops。　At　the　same　time　I　shall　announce
  to　them　my　decided　wish　that　they　may　complete　the　work　of　their
  counsels　in　peace；　for　I　have　no　higher　aim　than　through　them　to
  learn　the　will　of　the　nation。〃
  Count　d'Artois　retreated　a　step　in　amazement。　Upon　his　mobile　face
  appeared　the　sharp；　satirical　expression　which　was　peculiar　to　the
  character　of　the　prince。　It　w