re everything totters and seems ready to fall,
a People has need to lay hold of something. Failing any other support,
it will take the sovereignty of Louis Bonaparte. Well, it was necessary
that a support should be offered to the people, by us, in the form of
its own sovereignty. The Assembly," continued Michel de Bourges, "was,
as a fact, dead. The Left, the popular stump of this hated Assembly,
might suffice for the situation for a few days. No more. It was
necessary that it should be reinvigorated by the national sovereignty.
It was therefore important that we also should appeal to universal
suffrage, should oppose vote to vote, should raise erect the Sovereign
People before the usurping Prince, and should immediately convoke a new
Assembly." Michel de Bourges proposed a decree.

Michel de Bourges was right. Behind the victory of Louis Bonaparte could
be seen something hateful, but something which was familiar--the Empire;
behind the victory of the Left there was obscurity. We must bring in
daylight behind us. That which causes the greatest uneasiness to
people's imagination is the dictatorship of the Unknown. To convoke a
new Assembly as soon as possible, to restore France at once into the
hands of France, this was to reassure people's minds during the combat,
and to rally them afterwards; this was the true policy.

For some time, while listening to Michel de Bourges and Jules Favre, who
supported him, we fancied we heard, in the next room, a murmur which
resembled the sound of voices. Jules Favre had several times exclaimed,
"Is any one there?"

"It is not possible," was the answer. "We have instructed Durand-Savoyat
to allow no one to remain there." And the discussion continued.
Nevertheless the sound of voices insensibly increased, and ultimately
grew so distinct that it became necessary to see what it meant. Carnot
half opened the door. The room and the ante-chamber adjoining the room
where we were deliberating were filled with Representatives, who were
peaceably conversing.

Surprised, we called in Durand-Savoyat.

"Did you not understand us?" asked Michel de Bourges.

"Yes, certainly," answered Durand-Savoyat.

"This house is perhaps marked," resumed Carnot; "we are in danger of
being taken."

"And killed upon the spot," added Jules Favre, smiling with his calm
smile.

"Exactly so," answered Durand-Savoyat, with a look still quieter than
Jules Favre's smile. "The door of this inner room is shrouded