THE BANQUET. 368 



Due de Rochefoucauld, Petion de Villeneuve, and Ber- 

 gasse, and talk the matter over. But when the guests 

 met, a much more interesting topic was in everybody's 

 mouth. The king at that time lived at Versailles, a 

 little town inhabited entirely by his servants and his 

 body-guards. The Parisians for some time had been 

 uneasy : they feared that he would escape to Metz ; 

 and that civil war would then break out. There was 

 a rumour of a bond signed by thousands of the aris- 

 tocrats to fight on the king's side. The Guards had 

 certainly been doubled at Versailles ; and a Flanders 

 regiment had marched into the town with two pieces 

 of cannon. Officers appeared in the streets in strange 

 uniforms, green faced with red ; and they did not 

 wear the tricolour cockade which had already been 

 adopted by the French nation. And while thus un- 

 easy looks were turned towards Versailles, an incident 

 took place which heightened the alarm. On October 

 1st a banquet had been given by the Guards to the 

 officers of the Flanders regiment. The tables were 

 spread in the court theatre : the boxes were filled with 

 spectators. After the champagne was served, and the 

 health of the Royal Family had been drunk, the wine 

 and the shouting turned all heads ; swords were drawn 

 and waved naked in the air : the tricolour cockades 

 were trampled under foot ; the band struck up the 

 tender and beautiful ballad, Richard ! my King ! 

 the world is all forsaking thee ! ; the Queen came in 

 and walked round the tables, bowing, and bestowing her 

 sweetest smiles ; the bugles sounded the charge ; the 

 men from different regiments were brought in; all 

 swore aloud they would protect the king, as if he was 

 just then in danger of his life ; and some young ensigns 

 carried by assault certain boxes which expressed dis- 



