untain which stands at the corner of the Rue de
Charonne the shops were closed. Two lines of soldiers extended on
either side of the street of the Faubourg on the kerb of the pavement;
the soldiers were stationed at every five paces, with the butts of their
muskets resting on their hips, their chests drawn in, their right hand
on the trigger, ready to bring to the present, keeping silence in the
attitude of expectation. From that point a piece of cannon was stationed
at the mouth of each of the side streets which open out of the main road
of the Faubourg. Occasionally there was a mortar. To obtain a clear idea
of this military arrangement one must imagine two rosaries, extending
along the two sides of the Faubourg St. Antoine, of which the soldiers
should form the links and the cannon the beads.

Meanwhile my driver became uneasy. He turned round to me and said, "It
looks as though we should find barricades out there, sir; shall we turn
back?"

"Keep on," I replied.

He continued to drive straight on.

Suddenly it became impossible to do so. A company of infantry ranged
three deep occupied the whole of the street from one pavement to the
other. On the right there was a small street. I said to the driver,--

"Take that turning."

He turned to the right and then to the left. We turned into a labyrinth
of streets.

Suddenly I heard a shot.

The driver asked me,--

"Which way are we to go, sir?"

"In the direction in which you hear the shots."

We were in a narrow street; on my left I saw the inscription above a
door, "Grand Lavoir," and on my right a square with a central building,
which looked like a market. The square and the street were deserted. I
asked the driver,--

"What street are we in?"

"In the Rue de Cotte."

"Where is the Cafe Roysin?"

"Straight before us."

"Drive there."

He drove on, but slowly. There was another explosion, this time close by
us, the end of the street became filled with smoke; at the moment we
were passing No. 22, which has a side-door above which I
read, "Petit Lavoir."

Suddenly a voice called out to the driver, "Stop!"

The driver pulled up, and the window of the _fiacre_ being down, a hand
was stretched towards mine. I recognized Alexander Rey.

This daring man was pale.

"Go no further," said he; "all is at an end."

"What do you mean, all at an end?"

"Yes, they must have anticipated the time appointed; the barricade is
taken: I have just come from it