It was only at seven o'clock in the morning of the 21st of June, that the servants of the chateau, on entering the apartments of the king and queen, found the beds undisturbed and the rooms deserted, and spread the alarm amongst the palace guard.

The fugitive family had thus ten or twelve hours' start of any attempt that could be made to pursue them; and even supposing it could be ascertained which road they had taken, they could be only stopped by couriers, and the body guard who accompanied the king would arrest the couriers without difficulty.

Moreover, no attempt could be made to oppose their flight by force before they had reached the town in which were stationed the detachments of M.de Bouille.
All Paris was in the greatest confusion.

The report flew from the chateau, and spread like wildfire into the neighbouring _quartiers_, and from thence into the faubourgs.

The words, "The king has escaped," were in every body's mouth; yet no one could believe it.