“‘What do you mean?’ asked Her Majesty.

“‘I am ordered,’ replied I, taking up a lump of sugar, ’not to drink chocolate, or coffee, or anything with powdered sugar.  These are times when caution alone can prevent our being sent out of the world with all our sins upon our heads.’

“’I am very glad to hear you say so; for you have reason to be particular, after what you once so cruelly suffered from poison.  But what has brought that again into your mind just now?’

“’Well, then, since Your Majesty approves of my circumspection, allow me to say I think it advisable that we should, at a moment like this especially, abstain from all sorts of food by which our existence may be endangered.  For my own part, I mean to give up all made dishes, and confine myself to the simplest diet.’

“‘Come, come, Princess,’ interrupted Her Majesty; ’there is more in this than you wish me to understand.  Fear not.  I am prepared for anything that may be perpetrated against my own life, but let me preserve from peril my King, my husband, and my children!’

“My feelings prevented me from continuing to dissemble.  I candidly repeated all I had heard from M. Laporte.

“Her Majesty instantly rang for one of her confidential women.  ’Go to the King,’ said Her Majesty to the attendant, ’and if you find him alone, beg him to come to me at once; but, if there are any of the guards or other persons within hearing, merely say that the Princesse de Lamballe is with me and is desirous of the loan of a newspaper.’

“The King’s guard, and indeed most of those about him, were no better than spies, and this caution in the Queen was necessary to prevent any jealousy from being excited by the sudden message.

“When the messenger left us by ourselves, I observed to Her Majesty that it would be imprudent to give the least publicity to the circumstance, for were it really mere suspicion in the head of the police, its disclosure might only put this scheme into some miscreant’s head, and tempt him to realize it.  The Queen said I was perfectly right, and it should be kept secret.

“Our ambassadress was fortunate enough to reach the King’s apartment unobserved, and to find him unattended, so he received the message forthwith.  On leaving the apartment, however, she was noticed and watched.  She immediately went out of the Tuileries as if sent to make purchases, and some time afterwards returned with some trifling articles in her hand.

[This incident will give the reader an idea of the cruel situation in which the first Sovereigns of Europe then stood; and how much they appreciated the few subjects who devoted themselves to thwart and mitigate the tyranny practised by the Assembly over these illustrious victims.  I can speak from my own experience on these matters.  From the time I last accompanied the Princesse de Lamballe to Paris till I left it in 1792, what between milliners, dressmakers, flower