“Cubieres, the French loved Henri iv., and what king ever better deserved to be beloved?”

[Louis XVI. cherished the memory of Henri iv.:  at that moment he thought of his deplorable end; but he long before regarded him as a model.  Soulavie says on the subject:  “A tablet with the inscription ‘Resurrexit’ placed upon the pedestal of Henri iv.’s statue on the accession of Louis XVI. flattered him exceedingly.  ‘What a fine compliment,’ said he, ’if it were true!  Tacitus himself never wrote anything so concise or so happy.’  Louis XVI. wished to take the reign of that Prince for a model.  In the following year the party that raised a commotion among the people on account of the dearness of corn removed the tablet inscribed Resurrexit from the statue of Henri iv., and placed it under that of Louis xv., whose memory was then detested, as he was believed to have traded on the scarcity of food.  Louis XVI., who was informed of it, withdrew into his private apartments, where he was found in a fever shedding tears; and during the whole of that day he could not be prevailed upon either to dine, walk out, or sup.  From this circumstance we may judge what he endured at the commencement of the Revolution, when he was accused of not loving the French people.”—­Note by the editor.]

His return to Versailles filled his family with inexpressible joy; in the arms of the Queen, his sister, and his children, he congratulated himself that no accident had happened; and he repeated several times, “Happily no blood has been shed, and I swear that never shall a drop of French blood be shed by my order,”—­a determination full of humanity, but too openly avowed in such factious times!

The King’s last measure raised a hope in many that general tranquillity would soon enable the Assembly to resume its, labours, and promptly bring its session to a close.  The Queen never flattered herself so far; M. Bailly’s speech to the King had equally wounded her pride and hurt her feelings.  “Henri iv. conquered his people, and here are the people conquering their King.”  The word “conquest” offended her; she never forgave M. Bailly for this fine academical phrase.

Five days after the King’s visit to Paris, the departure of the troops, and the removal of the Princes and some of the nobility whose influence seemed to alarm the people, a horrible deed committed by hired assassins proved that the King had descended the steps of his throne without having effected a reconciliation with his people.