r colleagues time
to arrive."

But they murmured round Baudin, "No, begin, give the signal, go outside.
The Faubourg only waits to see your sashes to rise. You are few in
number, but they know that your friends will rejoin you. That is
sufficient. Begin."

The result proved that this undue haste could only produce a failure.
Meanwhile they considered that the first example which the
Representatives of the People ought to set was personal courage. The
spark must not be allowed to die out. To march the first, to march at
the head, such was their duty. The semblance of any hesitation would
have been in truth more disastrous than any degree of rashness.

Schoelcher is of an heroic nature, he has the grand impatience of
danger.

"Let us go," he cried; "our friends will join us, let us go outside."

They had no arms.

"Let us disarm the post which is over there," said Schoelcher.

They left the Salle Roysin in order, two by two, arm in arm. Fifteen or
twenty men of the people escorted them. They went before them, crying,
"Long live the Republic! To arms!"

Some children preceded and followed them, shouting, "Long live the
Mountain!"

The entrances of the closed shops were half opened. A few men appeared
at the doors, a few women showed themselves at the windows. Knots of
workmen going to their work watched them pass. They cried, "Long live
our Representatives! Long live the Republic!"

Sympathy was everywhere, but insurrection nowhere. The procession
gathered few adherents on the way.

A man who was leading a saddled horse joined them. They did not know
this man, nor whence this horse came. It seemed as if the man offered
his services to any one who wished to fly. Representative Dulac ordered
this man to be off.

In this manner they reached the guard-house of the Rue de Montrenil. At
their approach the sentry gave the alarm, and the soldiers came out of
the guard-house in disorder.

Schoelcher, calm, impassive, in ruffles and a white tie, clothed, as
usual, in black, buttoned to the neck in his tight frock coat, with the
intrepid and brotherly air of a Quaker, walked straight up to them.

"Comrades," he said to them, "we are the Representatives of the People,
and come in the name of the people to demand your arms for the defence
of the Constitution and of the Laws!"

The post allowed itself to be disarmed. The sergeant alone made any show
of resistance, but they said to him, "You are alone," and he yielded