Marie-Antoinette and the Mob

From Nobility:

At length the crowd began vigorously to shout “The queen! The queen!” demanding that she should appear upon the balcony. She immediately came forth, with her children at her side, that, as a mother, she might appeal to their hearts. The sight moved the sympathies of the multitude, and execrating, as they did, Maria Antoinette, whom they had long been taught to hate, they could not have the heart, in cold bold, to massacre these innocent children. Thousands of voices simultaneously shouted, “Away with the children!” Maria, apparently without the tremor of a nerve, led back her children, and again appearing upon the balcony alone, folded her arms, and, raising her eyes to heaven, stood before them, a self-devoted victim. The heroism of the act changed for a moment hatred to admiration. Not a gun was fired; there was a moment of silence, and then one spontaneous burst of applause rose apparently from every lip, and shouts of “Vive la reine! Vive la reine!” pierced the skies. (Read more.)