Her Highness was persuaded, however, to return once more to England, under the pretext of completing the mission she had so successfully began; but it is very clear that neither the King or Queen had any serious idea of her succeeding, and that their only object was to get her away from the theatre of disaster.  Circumstances had so completely changed for the worst, that, though Her Highness was received with great kindness, her mission was no longer listened to.  The policy of England shrunk from encouraging twenty thousand French troops to be sent in a body to the West Indies, and France was left to its fate.  A conversation with Mr. Burke, in which the disinclination of England to interfere was distinctly owned, created that deep-rooted grief and apprehension in the mind of the Queen from which Her Majesty never recovered.  The Princesse de Lamballe was the only one in her confidence.  It is well known that the King of England greatly respected the personal virtues of Their French Majesties; but upon the point of business, both King and Ministers were now become ambiguous and evasive.  Her Highness, therefore, resolved to return.  It had already been whispered that she had left France, only to save herself, like the rest; and she would no longer remain under so slanderous an imputation.  She felt, too, the necessity of her friendship to her royal mistress.  Though the Queen of England, by whom Her Highness was very much esteemed, and many other persons of the first consequence in the British nation, foreseeing the inevitable fate of the Royal Family, and of all their faithful adherents, anxiously entreated her not to quit England, yet she became insensible to every consideration as to her own situation and only felt the isolated one of her august Sovereign, her friend, and benefactress.

SECTION XIV.

Editor in continuation: 

Events seemed molded expressly to produce the state of feeling which marked that disastrous day, the 20th of June, 1792.  It frequently happens that nations, like individuals, rush wildly upon the very dangers they apprehend, and select such courses as invite what they are most solicitous to avoid.  So it was with everything preceding this dreadful day.  By a series of singular occurrences I did not witness its horrors, though in some degree their victim.  Not to detain my readers unnecessarily, I will proceed directly to the accident which withdrew me from the scene.

The apartment of the Princesse de Lamballe, in the Pavilion of Flora, looked from one side upon the Pont Royal.  On the day of which I speak, a considerable quantity of combustibles had been thrown from the bridge into one of her rooms.  The Princess, in great alarm, sent instantly for me.  She desired to have my English man servant, if he were not afraid, secreted in her room, while she herself withdrew to another part of the palace, till the extent of the intended mischief could be ascertained.  I assured Her Highness that I was not only ready to answer for my servant, but would myself remain with him, as he always went armed, and I was so certain of his courage and fidelity that I could not hesitate even to trust my life in his hands.