to a trial against him.  But what he wishes me to tell you is, that the portfolio contains a ‘proces-verbal’ of a cabinet council, in which the King gave his opinion against the war.  He had it signed by all the ministers, and, in case of a trial, he trusts that this document will be very useful to him.”  I asked the Queen to whom she thought I ought to commit the portfolio.  “To whom you please,” answered she; “you alone are answerable for it.  Do not quit the palace even during your vacation months:  there may be circumstances under which it would be very desirable that we should be able to have it instantly.”

At this period M. de La Fayette, who had probably given up the idea of establishing a republic in France similar to that of the United States, and was desirous to support the first constitution which he had sworn to defend, quitted his army and came to the Assembly for the purpose of supporting by his presence and by an energetic speech a petition signed by twenty thousand citizens against the late violation of the residence of the King and his family.  The General found the constitutional party powerless, and saw that he himself had lost his popularity.  The Assembly disapproved of the step he had taken; the King, for whom it, was taken, showed no satisfaction at it, and he saw himself compelled to return to his army as quickly as he could.  He thought he could rely on the National Guard; but on the day of his arrival those officers who were in the King’s interest inquired of his Majesty whether they were to forward the views of Gendral de La Fayette by joining him in such measures as he should pursue during his stay at Paris.  The King enjoined them not to do so.  From this answer M. de La Fayette perceived that he was abandoned by the remainder of his party in the Paris guard.

On his arrival a plan was presented to the Queen, in which it was proposed by a junction between La Fayette’s army and the King’s party to rescue the royal family and convey them to Rouen.  I did not learn the particulars of this plan; the Queen only said to me upon the subject that M. de La Fayette was offered to them as a resource; but that it would be better for them to perish than to owe their safety to the man who had done them the most mischief, or to place themselves under the necessity of treating with him.

I passed the whole month of July without going to bed; I was fearful of some attack by night.  There was one plot against the Queen’s life which has never been made known.  I was alone by her bedside at one o’clock in the morning; we heard somebody walking softly down the corridor, which passes along the whole line of her apartments, and which was then locked at each end.  I went out to fetch the valet de chambre; he entered the corridor, and the Queen and myself soon heard the noise of two men fighting.  The unfortunate Princess held me locked in her arms, and said to me, “What a situation! insults by day and assassins by night!” The