Nobody had ever heard of Danton.

The name of Republic had never been so much as whispered.

The king still believed that constitutional monarchy would leave him as much power as he desired.

He had voluntarily gone to the National Assembly, and in simple language had exhorted them all to imitate his example by professing the single opinion, the single interest, the single wish--attachment to the new constitution, and ardent desire for the peace and happiness of France.

The clergy, it is true, were violently irritated by the spoliation of their goods, and the nobles had crossed the Rhine, to brood impotently in the safety of Coblenz over projects of a bloody revenge upon their country.