CHAPTER IV.

WHAT WAS DONE DURING THE NIGHT--THE PASSAGE DU SAUMON

When those on the barricade of the Petit Carreau saw Dussoubs fall, so

gloriously for his friends, so shamefully for his murderers, a moment of

stupor ensued. Was it possible? Did they really see this before them?

Such a crime committed by our soldiers? Horror filled every soul.

This moment of surprise did not last long. "Long live the Republic!"

shouted the barricade with one voice, and it replied to the ambuscade by

a formidable fire.

The conflict began. A mad conflict on the part of the coup d'état, a

struggle of despair on the side of the Republic. On the side of the

soldiers an appalling and cold blooded resolution, a passive and

ferocious obedience, numbers, good arms, absolute chiefs, pouches filled

with cartridges. On the side of the People no ammunition, disorder,

weariness, exhaustion, no discipline, indignation serving for a leader.

It appears that while Dussoubs was speaking, fifteen grenadiers,

commanded by a sergeant named Pitrois, had succeeded in gliding in the

darkness along the houses, and, unperceived and unheard, had taken up

their position close to the barricade. These fifteen men suddenly formed

themselves together with lowered bayonets at twenty paces from the

barricade ready to scale it. A volley received them. They fell back,

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The History of a Crime