Victor de Gisons was constantly at the house, and strove by his cheerfulness and gaiety to dissipate the shade of melancholy which still hung over Marie.
Towards the end of July the Marquis de St.Caux and the little body of royalists who still remained faithful to the king became more and more anxious; the position of the royal family was now most precarious; most of the troops in Paris had been sent to the frontier, and those left behind were disorganized and ready to join the mob.

Two out of the three Swiss battalions had been sent away and but one remained at the Tuileries.

Of the National Guard only the battalion of Filles St.Thomas and part of the battalion of the Saints Pares could be trusted to defend the king.

The rest were opposed to him, and would certainly join the populace.
On the 14th of July a large number of National Guards from the provinces had arrived in Paris; and the battalion from Marseilles, the most violent of all, had, immediately that it arrived in the city, come into collision with one of the loyal battalions.
The royalists were wholly without organization, their sole aim being to defend the king should he be in danger, and if necessary to die by his side.
On the evening before the 10th of August the tocsin was heard to sound and the drums to beat to arms.

All day there had been sinister rumours circulating, but the king had sent privately to his friends that the danger was not imminent and that he had no need of them; however, as soon as the alarm sounded the marquis snatched up a sword and prepared to start for the palace.