36S FRANCE. 



given by the gdrdes-du-corfis, or king's body guards, to the officers 

 of a regiment of Flanders, who had just joined them in the service 

 of guarding the monarch. Several of the officers of the national 

 guard, with others of the military, were invited. At the second 

 course four toasts were given — "The king, the queen, the dauphin, 

 and the royal family." " The nation" was proposed, but, according 

 to a number of witnesses, expressly rejected by the gardes-du-corfis. 

 After this, the queen, having been informed of the gaiety of the scene, 

 persuaded his majesty, who was just returned from hunting, to ac- 

 company her, with the heir apparent, to the saloon. She appeared 

 with the dauphin in her arms, affectionate as she was lovely, and car- 

 ried the royal infant through the saloon, amidst the acclamations 

 and murmurs of the spectators. Fired with enthusiasm, the sol- 

 diers drank the health of the king, the queen, and the dauphin, with 

 their swords drawn ; and the royal guests bowed respectfully and 

 retired. 



The entertainment, which had hitherto been conducted with some 

 degree of order, now became a scene of entire confusion. Nothing 

 was omitted, to inflame the passions of the military. Themusic play- 

 ed the fayourite air — "O Richard, O my king, the world abandons 

 thee I" the ladies of the court distributed white cockades^ the anti- 

 patriot ensign ; and even some of the national guard, it is said, did 

 not refuse to accept them. 



During these transactions, the city of Paris was afflicted with all 

 the evils of famine. At this juncture the news arrived of the fatal 

 banquet at Versailles, with every circumstance greatly magnified^ 

 Early on the morning of the memorable 5th of October, a woman 

 •sallied out from the quarter of St. Eustache, and entering the corfis- 

 de-garde, and seizing a drum, paraded the adjacent streets beating 

 an alarm, and exciting the people by clamours respecting the scarcity 

 of bread. She was soon joined by a very numerous mob, chiefly of 

 women, to the amount of 800, who proceeded to Versailles; where 

 the king, upon hearing their complaints, signed an order for bring- 

 ing corn from Senlis and Lagni, and for removing every obstacle 

 which impeded the supply of Paris. This order was reported to the 

 women, and they retired with gratitude and joy. 



This band of Amazons was no sooner dispersed, than it was suc- 

 ceeded by another. The national assembly continued sitting ; but 

 the session was tumultuous, and interrupted by the shouts and ha- 

 rangues of the Parisian fish- women, who filled the galleries ; their ap- 

 plause was mingled with affecting murmurs and complaints — the 

 multitude crying out that they were actually starving, and that the 

 majority of them had eaten nothing for upwards of twenty-four hours. 

 The president therefore humanely ordered that provisions should be 

 sought for in every part of the town ; and the hall of the assembly was 

 the scene of a miserable, scanty, and tumultuous banquet. Indeed, 

 such was the dreadful famine, that the horse of one of the gardes-du' 

 corps being killed in a tumult, it was immediately roasted, and greedily 

 devoured by the mob. 



Darkness and a deluge of rain added to the horrors of the night. 

 The wretched multitudes who had travelled from Paris, were expos- 

 ed, almost famished, to the inclemencies of the weather, in the open 

 streets : within the castle all was trepidation ; nothing was to be heard 

 from without but imprecations, and the voices of enraged multitudes 

 demanding the life of the queen and the gardes-du-corfis. Toward 



