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d'état and organize it in practicable districts, that is to say, in the
old labyrinths of the streets St. Denis and St. Martin; we must draw up
proclamations, prepare decrees, create some method of publicity; they
were waiting for important communications from Workmen's Associations
and Secret Societies. The great blow which I wished to strike by our
solemn meeting at the Salle Roysin would prove a failure; they thought
it their duty to remain where they were; and the Committee being few in
number, and the work to be done being enormous, they begged me not to
leave them.
They were men of great hearts and great courage who spoke to me; they
were evidently right; but for myself I could not fail to go to the
rendezvous which I myself had fixed. All the reasons which they had
given me were good, nevertheless I could have opposed some doubts, but
the discussion would have taken too much time, and the hour drew nigh.
I did not make any objections, and I went out of the room, making some
excuse. My hat was in the antechamber, my fiacre was waiting for me,
and I drove off to the Faubourg St. Antoine.
The centre of Paris seemed to have retained its everyday appearance.
People came and went, bought and sold, chatted and laughed as usual. In
the Rue Montorgueil I heard a street organ. Only on nearing the Faubourg
St. Antoine the phenomenon which I had already noticed on the previous
evening became more and more apparent; solitude reigned, and a certain
dreary peacefulness.
We reached the Place de la Bastille.
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