battalion of the Tenth Legion. He declared that he was ready to march on

the first order from his Colonel, General Lauriston. General Lauriston

went down into the courtyard, and came up a moment afterwards, saying,

They do not recognize my authority. I have just resigned," Moreover, the

name of Lauriston was not familiar to the soldiers. Oudinot was better

known in the army. But how?

At the moment when the name of Oudinot was pronounced, a shudder ran

through this meeting, almost exclusively composed of members of the

Right. In fact at this critical time, at this fatal name of Oudinot,

reflections crowded upon each other in every mind.

What was the coup d'état?

It was the "Roman expedition at home." Which was undertaken against whom?

Against those who had undertaken the "Roman expedition abroad." The

National Assembly of France, dissolved by violence, could find only one

single General to defend it in its dying hour. And whom? Precisely he,

who in the name of the National Assembly of France had dissolved by

violence the National Assembly of Rome. What power could Oudinot, the

strangler of a Republic, possess to save a Republic? Was it not evident

that his own soldiers would answer him, "What do you want with us? That

which we have done at Rome we now do at Paris." What a story is this

story of treason! The French Legislature had written the first chapter

with the blood of the Roman Constituent Assembly: Providence wrote the

second chapter with the blood of the French Legislature, Louis Bonaparte

holding the pen.

126

The History of a Crime