… the only mercy that was shown to either the prisoner who was to die, or to those who were to survive him, being that they were allowed once more to meet on earth. At eight in the evening the queen, his children, and his sister were to be allowed to visit him. He prepared for the interview with astonishing calmness, making the arrangements so deliberately that, when he noticed that Cléry had placed a bottle of iced water on the table, he bid him change it, lest, if the queen should require any, the chill should prove injurious to her health. Even that last interview was not allowed to pass wholly without witnesses, since the Municipal Council refused, even on such an occasion, to relax their regulation that their guards were never to lose sight-of the king; and all that was permitted was that he might retire with his family into an inner room which had a glass door, so that, though what passed must be seen, their last words might not be overheard. His daughter, Madame Royale, now a girl of fourteen, and old enough, as her mother had said a few months before, to realize the misery of the scenes which she daily saw around her, has left us an account of the interview, necessarily a brief one, for the queen and princess were too wretched to say much.
The Life of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France - Charles Duke Yonge
“I ask for a delay of three days that I may prepare myself to appear before God. I demand for the same purpose to be able to see freely the person I shall name to the commissioners of the Commune, and that the said person shall be protected from all anxiety about the act of charity which he will do for me. “I ask to be delivered from the incessant watching which the council of the Commune established recently. “I ask to be able, during that interval, to see my family when I ask it, and without witnesses. “I much desire that the National Convention shall at once concern itself with the fate of my family, and that it will permit them to retire freely wherever they may wish to go. “I commend to the beneficence of the Nation all the persons who have been attached to me. Many have put their whole fortunes into their offices, and now, receiving no salaries, they must be in need; the same must also be the case with those who had only their salaries to support them; and among the pensionaries, there are many old men, women, and children who have nothing but their pensions to live upon. "Done in the Tower of the Temple, January 20, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. LOUIS.”
— Louis XVI’s letter to the Convention, which he wrote after receiving the sentence of death.
(via vivelareine)
Jean-Baptiste Cléry on the final meeting between Louis XVI and his family:
At half past eight the door opened; the
queen appeared first, holding her son by the hand; then Madame Royale
and Madame Élisabeth; they ran to the arms of the king. A gloomy silence
reigned for several minutes, interrupted only by sobs. The queen made a
movement to draw the king into his room. “No,” he said “let us go into
the dining-room, I can see you only there.” They went there, and I
closed the door, which was of glass, behind them. The king sat down, the
queen on his left, Madame Élisabeth on his right, Madame Royale nearly
opposite to him, and the little prince between his knees.
All
were bending towards him and held him half embraced. This scene of
sorrow lasted seven quarters of an hour, during which it was impossible
to hear anything; we could see only that after each sentence of the king
the sobs of the princesses redoubled, lasting some minutes; then the
king would resume what he was saying. It was easy to judge from their
motions that the king himself was the first to tell them of his
condemnation.
At a quarter past ten the king rose first; they all followed him; I opened the door; the queen held the king by the right arm; Their Majesties each gave a hand to the dauphin; Madame Royale on the left clasped the king’s body; Madame Élisabeth, on the same side but a little behind the rest, had caught the left arm of her brother. They made a few steps towards the entrance, uttering the most sorrowful moans.
“I assure you,” said the king, “that I will see you to-morrow at eight o'clock.” “You promise us?” they all cried. “Yes, I promise it.” “Why not at seven o'clock?” said the queen. “Well, then, yes, at seven o'clock,” replied the king. “Adieu–” He uttered that “adieu” in so expressive a manner that the sobs redoubled. Madame Royale fell fainting at the king’s feet, which she clasped; I raised her and helped Madame Élisabeth to hold her. The king, wishing to put an end to this heart-rending scene, gave them all a most tender embrace, and then had the strength to tear himself from their arms. “Adieu–adieu,” he said, and re-entered his chamber.
