ing up the protest. He had half opened
the door. Near the door was standing M. Gautier de Rumilly, one of the
most justly respected members of the Council of State. M. Behic had
asked M. Gautier de Rumilly, "What are they doing? It is a crime. What
are we doing?" M. Gautier de Rumilly had answered, "A protest." Upon,
this word M. Behic had reclosed the door, and had disappeared. He
reappeared later on under the Empire--a Minister.

CHAPTER III.

INSIDE THE ELYSEE

During the morning Dr. Yvan met Dr. Conneau. They were acquainted. They
talked together. Yvan belonged to the Left. Conneau belonged to the
Elysee. Yvan knew through Conneau the details of what had taken place
during the night at the Elysee, which he transmitted to us.

One of these details was the following:--

An inexorable decree had been compiled, and was about to be placarded.
This decree enjoined upon all submission to the _coup d'etat_.
Saint-Arnaud, who, as Minister of War, should sign the decree, had drawn
it up. He had reached the last paragraph, which ran thus: "Whoever shall
be detected constructing a barricade, posting a placard of the
ex-Representatives, or reading it, shall be...." here Saint-Arnaud had
paused; Morny had shrugged his shoulders, had snatched the pen from his
hand, and written "_shot_!"

Other matters had been decided, but these were not recorded.

Various pieces of information came in in addition to these.

A National Guard, named Boillay de Dole, had formed one of the Guard at
the Elysee, on the night of the 3d and 4th. The windows of Louis
Bonaparte's private room, which was on the ground floor, were lighted up
throughout the night. In the adjoining room there was a Council of War.
From the sentry-box where he was stationed Boillay saw defined on the
windows black profiles and gesticulating shadows, which were
Magnan, Saint-Arnaud, Persigny, Fleury,--the spectres of the crime.

Korte, the General of the Cuirassiers, had been summoned, as also
Carrelet, who commanded the division which did the hardest work on the
following day, the 4th. From midnight to three o'clock in the morning
Generals and Colonels "did nothing but come and go." Even mere captains
had come there. Towards four o'clock some carriages arrived "with
women." Treason and debauchery went hand in hand. The boudoir in the
palace answered to the brothel in the barracks.

The courtyard was filled with lancers, who held the horses of the
generals wh