Louis wished to know what he ought to do, now that the people were so
angry with his father. The queen told him that he must behave civilly
and kindly to the magistrates, when they came; to the officers of the
people's army,--the National Guard,--and to everybody that belonged to
Paris. Louis took great pains to do this: and when he had an
opportunity of speaking kindly to the mayor, or any other visitor, he
used to run up to his mother, and whisper in her ear, "Was that
right?"--He once said a thing which pleased the mayor of Paris very
much. The mayor showed him the shield of Scipio, which was in the royal
library, and asked him which he liked best, Scipio or Hannibal. The boy
answered that he liked best him who had defended his own country.
At this time he read, not only of Scipio and Hannibal, but much besides.
The royal family, out of spirits, and not knowing what would happen
next, led a very quiet life in the Tuileries, from the 6th of October,
when they were brought there, till the beginning of the next summer.
During this season, the queen never went to the theatre. She gave no
concerts, or large entertainments: and only received the court twice a
week, where everybody came wearing white lilies, and bows of white
ribbon, while tricolor cockades were sold at all the corners of the
streets; and the National Guards stopped all who did not show red and
blue colours. The queen went to mass, and dined in public with the
king, twice a week, and joined small card-parties in the evenings. The
Princess de Lamballe, who had returned to resume her office in the
palace, gave gay parties; and the queen went a few times, but soon felt
that, in her circumstances, a private life was more suitable. One
evening she returned to her apartments in great agitation. An English
nobleman had been exhibiting a large ring which he wore, containing a
lock of Oliver Cromwell's hair. She looked with horror upon Cromwell,
as a regicide; and she thought the English nobleman meant to point out
to her what kings may come to when their people are discontented with
them. It was probable that the gentleman meant no such thing: but he
was guilty of a very thoughtless act, which gave a great deal of pain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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