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he； angry with the tears which forced themselves into his eyes。 And
he made no objection when the other officials said to the queen；
with trembling voices； that they would allow the royal family to
come together at their meals。
One last comfort； one last ray of sunshine！ There were still hours
in these dismal； monotonous days of November； when they could have
some happinesshours for which they longed； and for whose sake they
bore the desolate solitude of the remaining time。
At breakfast； dinner； and supper； the Capet family were together；
words were interchanged； hands could rest in one another； and they
could delight in the pleasant chatter of the dauphin when the king
told about the lessons he had given the boy； and the progress he was
making。
They sometimes forgot； at those meetings； that Death was perhaps
crouching outside the Temple； waiting to receive his victims； and
they even uttered little words of pleasantry； to awaken the bright；
fresh laugh of the dauphin； the only music that ever was heard in
those dismal rooms。
But December took this last consolation from the queen。 The National
Assembly； which had now been transformed into the Convention；
brought the charge of treason against the king。 He was accused of
entering into a secret alliance with the enemies of France； and
calling the monarchs of Europe to come to his assistance。 In an iron
safe which had been set into the wall of the cabinet in the
Tuileries； papers had been discovered which compromised the king；
letters from the refugee princes； from the Emperor of Germany； and
the King of Prussia。 These monarchs were now on the very confines of
France； ready to enter upon a bloody war； and that was the fault of
the king！ He was in alliance with the enemies of his country！ He was
the murderer of his own subjects！ On his head the blood should
return； which had been shed by him。
This was the charge which was brought against the king。 Twenty
members of the Convention went to the Temple； to read it to him； and
to hear his reply。 He stoutly denied haying entertained such
relations with foreign princes； he declared； with a solemn oath；
that he had declined all overtures from such quarters； because he
had seen that； in order to free an imprisoned king； France itself
must be threatened。
The chiefs of the revolution meant to find him guilty。 Louis Capet
must be put out of the way； in order that Robespierre and Marat；
Danton； Petion； and their friends； might reach unlimited power。
There may have been several in the Convention who shrank from this
last consequence of their doings； but they did not venture to raise
their voices； they chimed in with the terrorism which the leaders of
the revolution exercised upon the Convention。 They knew that behind
these leaders stood the savage masses of the streets； armed with
hatred against monarchy and the aristocracy； and ready to tear in
pieces any one as an enemy of the country who ventured to join the
number of those who were under the ban and the sentence of the
popular hate。
Still there were some courageous； faithful servants of the king who
ventured to take his part even there。 Louis had now been summoned to
the bar as an accused person； and the Convention had transformed
itself into a tribunal whose function was to pass judgment on the
guilt or innocence of the king！
In order to satisfy all the forms of the law； the king should have
had an advocate allowed him； and the benefit of legal counsel。 The
Convention demanded that those who were ready to undertake this task
should send in their names。 It was a form deemed safe to abide by；
because it was believed that there would be no one who would venture
to enter upon so momentous and perilous a duty。
But there were such； nevertheless。 There were still courageous and
noble men who pitied the forsaken king； and who wanted to try to
save him； not willing to see him atone for the debts of his
predecessors； and bleed for the sins of his fathers。 And scarcely
had the consent of the Convention been announced； that Louis Capet
should have three advocates for his defence； when from Paris and all
the minor cities letters came in from men who declared themselves
ready to undertake the defence of the king。
Even from foreign lands there came letters and appeals in behalf of
the deposed monarch。 One of them； written in spirited and glowing
language； conjured France not to soil its noble young freedom by the
dreadful murder of an innocent man； who had committed no other
offence than that he was the son of his fathers； the heir of their
crown and their remissness。 It was written by a German poet；
Frederick Schiller。 ＇Footnote： Schiller's defence of the king is
preserved in the national archivesSee Beauchesue vol。 i。； p。 366。＇
From the many requests to serve as his advocates； Louis chose only
two to defend him。 The first of these was his former minister； the
philosopher Lamoignon des Malesherbes； then the advocate Trouchet；
and finally； at the pressing request of Malesherbes； the
distinguished young advocate Deseges。 To those three men was
committed the trust of defending the king against the dreadful
charge of treason to his country； to be substantiated by hundreds
and hundreds of letters and documents。
After the preliminary investigations were closed； the public charge
was made in the Convention； which still held its sessions in the
Manage。 To this building； situated near the Tuileries； the king；
accompanied by his three defenders and two municipal defenders； and
surrounded by National Guards； was conducted from the Temple。 The
people danced around the carriage with wild shouts of joy and curses
of the king。 Within the vehicle sat Louis； completely calm and self…
possessed。
〃This man must be filled with a singular fanaticism；〃 said
Colombeau； one of the leading officials； in the report which he gave
to the Convention of the ride。 〃It is otherwise inexplicable how
Louis could be so calm； since he had so much reason to fear。 After
we had all entered the carriage； and were driving through the
streets； Louis entered upon conversation； which soon turned upon
literature； and especially upon some Latin authors。 He gave his
judgments with remarkable correctness and insight； and it appeared
to me that he took pleasure in showing his learning。 One of us said
that he did not enjoy Seneca； because his love for riches stood in
marked contrast with his pretended philosophy； and because it could
not easily be forgiven him that before the senate he apologized for
the crimes of Nero。 This reflection did not seem to affect Louis in
the least。 When we spoke of Livy； Capet said that he seemed to have
taken satisfaction in composing great speeches which were never
uttered to any other audience than that which was reached from his
study…table； 'for；' he added； 'it is impossible that generals really
delivered such long speeches in front of their armies。' He then
compared Livy with Tacitus； and thought that the latter was far
superior to the former in point of style。〃 ＇Footnote： See
Beauchesne； vol。 i。； p。 396。＇ The king went on talking about Latin
authors while the carriage was carrying him through the roaring mob
to the Convention； which Desege addressed in his defence in these
courageous words： 〃I look for judges among you； but see only
accusers。〃
The king was completely calm； yet he knew that his life was
threatened； and that he was standing before a tribunal of death。 As
on the day when he was first taken to the Convention； he requested
Malesherbes to forward a note to the priest whose attendance he
desired； and who he believed would not deny his presence and
attentions。 His name was Edgewarth de Pirmont。 The time was not
distant when not the services of advocates were wanted by the king；
but exclusively those of the priest。
The sentence of death was pronounced on January 26； 1793。 Louis
received it calmly； and desired merely to see his family； to have a
confessor come to him； and to prepare himself for his death。
During these dreadful weeks Marie Antoinette was separated from her
husband； alone with her children； who no longer were able to smile；
but who sat day after day with fixed eyes and silent lips。 The queen
knew that the king had been accused； had made a private reply to the
charges brought against him； and had been brought before the
Convention。 But not a word； not a syllable of the trial which
followed； reached her。 Madame Tison； the female dragon who guarded
her； watched her too well for any tidings to reach her。
At last； however； the word was brought which the heart of the queen
had so long anticipated tremblingly； for which she had prepared
herself during the long nights with tears and prayers； and which now
filled her with grief； anger； and despair。 The king was condemned to
death！ He wanted only to see his family； to take his leave of them！
The Convention had granted this privilege to him； and had even gone
so far in its grace as to permit the family to be without the
presence of witnesses。 The meeting was appointed； however； in the
little dining…room of the king； because a glass door led into the
adjoining room； and the officials could