n a better view; but as soon as he
distinguished the tall red girl who appeared to be drawing that crowd of
black demons behind her, he hastily closed his window again, terrified
by such a diabolical apparition.

The silence of the slumbering town reassured the insurgents, who
ventured to make their way through the lanes of the old quarter, and
thus reached the market-place and the Place de l'Hotel-de-Ville, which
was connected by a short but broad street. These open spaces, planted
with slender trees, were brilliantly illumined by the moon. Against the
clear sky the recently restored town-hall appeared like a large patch of
crude whiteness, the fine black lines of the wrought-iron arabesques of
the first-floor balcony showing in bold relief. Several persons could
be plainly distinguished standing on this balcony, the mayor, Commander
Sicardot, three or four municipal councillors, and other functionaries.
The doors below were closed. The three thousand Republicans, who covered
both open spaces, halted with upraised heads, ready to force the doors
with a single push.

The arrival of the insurrectionary column at such an hour took the
authorities by surprise. Before repairing to the mayor's, Commander
Sicardot had taken time to don his uniform. He then had to run and rouse
the mayor. When the keeper of the Porte de Rome, who had been left free
by the insurgents, came to announce that the villains were already in
the town, the commander had so far only managed to assemble a score of
the national guards. The gendarmes, though their barracks were close by,
could not even be warned. It was necessary to shut the town-hall
doors in all haste, in order to deliberate. Five minutes later a low
continuous rumbling announced the approach of the column.

Monsieur Garconnet, out of hatred to the Republic, would have greatly
liked to offer resistance. But he was of a prudent nature, and
comprehended the futility of a struggle on finding only a few pale men,
who were scarcely awake, around him. So the deliberations did not last
long. Sicardot alone was obstinate; he wanted to fight, asserting that
twenty men would suffice to bring these three thousand villains to
reason. At this Monsieur Garconnet shrugged his shoulders, and declared
that the only step to take was to make an honourable capitulation. As
the uproar of the mob increased, he went out on the balcony, followed
by all the persons present. Silence was gradually obtained. Belo