by the sentinel. I had, therefore, been
asleep a few minutes when I was awoke by the following dialogue:--'Stop!
who goes there?'--'The patrol.'--'Corporal, forward!'--Oh! said I to
myself, it is our comrades come to see us; there will be some healths
drunk before morning, and I got up to go and give them a welcome. The
captain was also astir. 'The password!' he cried. The chief of the
patrol came forward and answered--'Vengeance!' I remember wondering at
the moment why he spoke so loud in giving the pass-word, when suddenly
I saw three men rush forward, seize our captain, and throw him down. At
the same time two or three hundred men, dressed as National Guards,
threw themselves into the camp, rushed upon the sleeping artillery-men
with their bayonets, and then fired several volleys into the tents where
our poor comrades were asleep. What I had taken at first for National
Guards were only those devils of sergents-de-ville dressed up! So, you
see, as it was each man for himself, and the high road for everybody, I
just threw myself down on my face, and let myself drop into the
trenches. There was no fear of the noise of my fall being heard in the
riot. I managed to hide myself pretty well in a hole I found there, and
which had doubtless been made by a shell. I could not see anything, but
I heard all that was going on. Clic! clac! clic! went the rifles, almost
like the cracking of a whip, answered by the most dismal cries from the
wounded. I could hear also the grinding of wheels, and made sure they
were taking away our guns, the robbers! When all was silent except the
groans of the dying men, I crept out of my hiding place. Would you
believe it, Monsieur, I was the only one able to stand up; the
Versaillais had taken all those who had not run away or were not
wounded; I saw them, the pilfering thieves, making off towards Vitry, as
fast as their legs could carry them!"

"You have no idea, lieutenant," I said to the porter, "how the
Versaillais got to know the pass-word?"--"No, only the captain, who is
an honest fellow enough, but rather too fond of the bottle, went in the
evening to the route d'Orleans where there are lots of wine-shops
..."--"And you think he got tipsy, and let the pass-word out to some spy
or other?"--"I would not swear he did not; but what I am more sure of,
is that we are betrayed!"

Alas! yes, unfortunates, you are betrayed, but not in the way you think.
You are being cheated by these madmen and cri