The King sat at his writing-table, agitated and perplexed.  He had begun to write his abdication, when Marshal Bugeaud entered, having just learned what was taking place in the Tuileries, and excited by the sound of some shooting which had already begun.  “It is too late, sire,” said he; “your abdication would complete the demoralization of the troops.  Your Majesty can hear the shooting.  There is nothing left but to fight.”  The Queen seconded this advice, and Piscatory and several others were of the same opinion.  The King rose without finishing his writing, and then other voices were raised to insist upon the King’s promise.  He sat down again, wrote and signed his abdication.  By this time the troops had received orders to fall back, and Marshal Gerard took the place of Bugeaud as commandant-general.  The columns were marched toward the barracks, and there was no detachment around the Palais-Bourbon, where the same disorder reigned, and the same efforts were made in vain.

The Duchesse d’Orleans presented herself before the Chamber of Deputies as soon as the abdication of the King was known.  The Duc de Nemours accompanied her, leading the Comte de Paris by the hand; and the Duc de Chartres, who was weak and ill, was wrapped up in a mantle and leaned on Ary Scheffer’s arm.  Before joining the Princess at the gate of the Chamber the Duc de Nemours had, with his brother the Duc de Montpensier, seen the King, their father, take his melancholy departure, to escape the insurrection, against which he could not make up his mind to use force.

The Duchesse d’Orleans already knew that depriving the King of the crown was not giving it to her son.  Her natural courage, however, and her maternal affection induced her to make every effort to secure the throne for the prince of nine years whom the nation had already intrusted to her keeping.  She had seen the Tuileries invaded before leaving that hall where her husband’s portrait by Ingres seemed to preside over her son’s destinies.  “It is here one ought to die,” she said, when Dupin and Grammont came to conduct her to the Chamber.  Odilon Barret had gone to bring her, and succeeded in finding her in the Palais-Bourbon.  The crowd showed sympathy for her, and made room respectfully, though she and her small retinue had difficulty in getting within the palace, every passage being crowded.  The Duchess stood near the tribune holding her two boys close to her.  After Dupin announced the King’s abdication, Barrot, after presenting the legal instrument, asked the Chamber to proclaim at once the young King and the regency of Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans.