, the principal, attracted my attention. That one
was silent, there was no talking. There were several men on horseback;
one in front of the others, in a general's uniform, with a hat
surmounted with black feathers, behind this man were two colonels, and
behind the colonels a party of _aides-de-camp_ and staff officers.
This lace-trimmed company remained immovable, and as though pointing
like a dog between the column and the entrance to the Faubourg. At a
short distance from this group, spread out, and occupying the whole of
the square, were the regiments drawn up and the cannon in their
batteries.

"My driver again stopped.

"Go on," I said; "drive into the Faubourg."

"But they will prevent us, sir."

"We shall see."

The truth was that they did not prevent us.

The driver continued on his way, but hesitatingly, and at a walking
pace. The appearance of a _fiacre_ in the square had caused some
surprise, and the inhabitants began to come out of their houses. Several
came up to my carriage.

We passed by a group of men with huge epaulets. These men, whose tactics
we understood later on, did not even appear to see us.

The emotion which I had felt on the previous day before a regiment of
cuirassiers again seized me. To see before me the assassins of the
country, at a few steps, standing upright, in the insolence of a
peaceful triumph, was beyond my strength: I could not contain myself. I
drew out my sash. I held it in my hand, and putting my arm and head out
of the window of the _fiacre_, and shaking the sash, I shouted,--

"Soldiers! Look at this sash. It is the symbol of Law, it is the
National Assembly visible. Where there this sash is there is Right.
Well, then, this is what Right commands you. You are being deceived. Go
back to your duty. It is a Representative of the People who is speaking
to you, and he who represents the People represents the army. Soldiers,
before becoming soldiers you have been peasants, you have been workmen,
you have been and you are still citizens. Citizens, listen to me when I
speak to you. The Law alone has the right to command you. Well, to-day
the law is violated. By whom? By you. Louis Bonaparte draws you into a
crime. Soldiers, you who are Honor, listen to me, for I am Duty.
Soldiers, Louis Bonaparte assassinates the Republic. Defend it. Louis
Bonaparte is a bandit; all his accomplices will follow him to the
galleys. They are there already. He who is worthy of the galleys is