Part 46 (1/2)

”To-day at six o'clock, 25,000 francs has been offered to any one who arrests or kills Hugo.

”You know where he is. He must not go out under any pretext whatever.

”Yours ever,

”AL. DUMAS.”

At the back was written, ”Bocage, 18, Rue Ca.s.sette.” It was necessary that the minutest details should be considered. In the different places of combat a diversity of pa.s.swords prevailed, which might cause danger.

For the pa.s.sword on the day before we had given the name of ”Baudin.” In imitation of this the names of other Representatives had been adopted as pa.s.swords on barricades. In the Rue Rambuteau the pa.s.sword was ”Eugene Sue and Michel de Bourges;” in the Rue Beaubourg, ”Victor Hugo;” at the Saint Denis chapel, ”Esquiros and De Flotte.” We thought it necessary to put a stop to this confusion, and to suppress the proper names, which are always easy to guess. The pa.s.sword settled upon was, ”What is Joseph doing?”

At every moment items of news and information came to us from all sides, that barricades were everywhere being raised, and that firing was beginning in the central streets. Michel de Bourges exclaimed, ”Construct a square of four barricades, and we will go and deliberate in the centre.”

We received news from Mont Valerien. Two prisoners the more. Rigal and Belle had just been committed. Both of the Left. Dr. Rigal was the Representative of Gaillac, and Belle of Lavaur. Rigal was ill; they had arrested him in bed. In prison he lay upon a pallet, and could not dress himself. His colleague Belle acted as his _valet de chambre_.

Towards nine o'clock an ex-Captain of the 8th Legion of the National Guard of 1848, named Jourdan, came to place himself at our service. He was a bold man, one of those who had carried out, on the morning of the 24th February, the rash surprise of the Hotel de Ville. We charged him to repeat this surprise, and to extend it to the Prefecture of Police.

He knew how to set about the work. He told us that he had only a few men, but that during the day he would cause certain houses of strategical importance on the Quai des Cevres, on the Quai Lepelletier, and in the Rue de la Cite, to be silently occupied, and that if it should chance that the leaders of the _coup d'etat_, owing to the combat in the centre of Paris growing more serious, should be forced to withdraw the troops from the Hotel de Ville and the Prefecture, an attack would be immediately commenced on these two points. Captain Jourdan, we may at once mention, did what he had promised us; unfortunately, as we learnt that evening, he began perhaps a little too soon. As he had foreseen, a moment arrived when the square of the Hotel de Ville was almost devoid of troops, General Herbillon having been forced to leave it with his cavalry to take the barricades of the centre in the rear. The attack of the Republicans burst forth instantly. Musket shots were fired from the windows on the Quai Lepelletier; but the left of the column was still on the Pont d'Arcole, a line of riflemen had been placed by a major named Larochette before the Hotel de Ville, the 44th retraced its steps, and the attempt failed.

Bastide arrived, with Chauffour and Laissac.

”Good news,” said he to us, ”all is going on well.” His grave, honest, and dispa.s.sionate countenance shone with a sort of patriotic serenity.

He came from the barricades, and was about to return thither. He had received two b.a.l.l.s in his cloak. I took him aside, and said to him, ”Are you going back?” ”Yes.” ”Take me with you.” ”No,” answered he, ”you are necessary here. To-day you are the general, I am the soldier.”

I insisted in vain. He persisted in refusing, repeating continually.

”The Committee is our centre, it should not disperse itself. It is your duty to remain here. Besides,” added he, ”Make your mind easy. You run here more risk than we do. If you are taken you will be shot.” ”Well, then,” said I, ”the moment may come when our duty will be to join in the combat.” ”Without doubt.” I resumed, ”You who are on the barricades will be better judges than we shall of that moment. Give me your word of honor that you will treat me as you would wish me to treat you, and that you will come and fetch us.” ”I give it you,” he answered, and he pressed my two hands in his own.

Later on, however, a few moments after Bastide had left, great as was my confidence in the loyal word of this courageous and generous man, I could no longer restrain myself, and I profited by an interval of two hours of which I could dispose, to go and see with my own eyes what was taking place, and in what manner the resistance was behaving.

I took a carriage in the square of the Palais Royal. I explained to the driver who I was, and that I was about to visit and encourage the barricades; that I should go sometimes on foot, sometimes in the carriage, and that I trusted myself to him. I told him my name.

The first comer is almost always an honest man. This true-hearted coachman answered me, ”I know where the barricades are. I will drive you wherever it is necessary. I will wait for you wherever it is necessary. I will drive you there and bring you back; and if you have no money, do not pay me, I am proud of such an action.”

And we started.

[18] The original of this note is in the hands of the author of this book. It was handed to us by M. Avenel on the part of M. Bocage.

CHAPTER IX.

THE PORTE SAINT MARTIN

Important deeds had been already achieved during the morning.

”It is taking root,” Bastide had said.

The difficulty is not to spread the flames but to light the fire.

It was evident that Paris began to grow ill-tempered. Paris does not get angry at will. She must be in the humor for it. A volcano possesses nerves. The anger was coming slowly, but it was coming. On the horizon might be seen the first glimmering of the eruption.