Maupas, the two police-vans were placed on
railway trucks, each having behind it the open barouche like a wheeled
sentry-box, where a police agent acted as sentinel. The engine was
ready, the trucks were attached to the tender, and the train started. It
was still pitch dark.

For a long time the train sped on in the most profound silence.
Meanwhile it was freezing, in the second of the two police-vans, the
_sergents de ville_, cramped and chilled, opened their cells, and in
order to warm and stretch themselves walked up and down the narrow
gangway which runs from end to end of the police-vans. Day had broken,
the four _sergents de ville_ inhaled the outside air and gazed at the
passing country through a species of port-hole which borders each side
of the ceiling of the passage. Suddenly a loud voice issued from one of
the cells which had remained closed, and cried out, "Hey! there! it is
very cold, cannot I relight my cigar here?"

Another voice immediately issued from a second cell, and said, "What! it
is you? Good-morning, Lamoriciere!"

"Good-morning, Cavaignac!" replied the first voice.

General Cavaignac and General Lamoriciere had just recognized each
other.

A third voice was raised from a third cell. "Ah! you are there,
gentlemen. Good-morning and a pleasant journey."

He who spoke then was General Changarnier.

"Generals?" cried out a fourth voice. "I am one of you!"

The three generals recognized M. Baze. A burst of laughter came from the
four cells simultaneously.

This police-van in truth contained, and was carrying away from Paris,
the Questor Baze, and the Generals Lamoriciere, Cavaignac, and
Changarnier. In the other vehicle, which was placed foremost on the
trucks, there were Colonel Charras, Generals Bedeau and Le Flo, and
Count Roger (du Nord).

At midnight these eight Representative prisoners were sleeping in their
cells at Mazas, when they heard a sudden knocking at their doors, and a
voice cried out to them, "Dress, they are coming to fetch you." "Is it to
shoot us?" cried Charras from the other side of the door. They did not
answer him. It is worth remarking that this idea came simultaneously to
all. And in truth, if we can believe what has since transpired through
the quarrels of accomplices, it appears that in the event of a sudden
attack being made by us upon Mazas to deliver them, a fusillade had been
resolved upon, and that St. Arnaud had in his pocket the written order,
signed "L