| Although
the King reluctantly accepted the Constitution of 1791, he could
not accept all the reforms, particularly those which hurt the
Church. For this religious man, the Civil Constitution of the
Clergy was the last straw. He decided to leave the country.
On
June 20, 1791, the King and his family set out for the border
in a carriage. The King was disguised as a steward and his
son was wearing a dress. At the border village of Varennes,
he was recognized and eventually apprehended. Word of his
attempted flight spread quickly. Crowds lined the street to
jeer at him when he was returned to Paris. The King remarked,
"There is no longer a King in France."
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