believes in, and
whom, thanks to this tardy resignation, it will not learn to despise.
For instance, Arthur Arnould. But why should they take the trouble to
seek out a pretext? Why did they not say simply: "We have left them
because we find them full of wickedness; we were blinded as you were at
first, but now we in our turn see clearly; a good cause has been lost by
madmen or worse, and we have abandoned it because, if we were to stay a
moment longer, now that we are no longer blinded, we should be
committing a criminal act" Such words as these would have opened the
eyes of so many wretched beings, who are going to their deaths and think
they do well to die! As to those who remain, they must feel that their
power is slipping from them. They did not arrest or detain Rossel; it
would seem as if they dared not touch him because he was right in
thinking what he said, although he was very wrong to say it as he did.
While the Commune hesitates, the military plans of the Versaillais are
being carried out. Vanves taken, Montrouge in ruins, breaches opened at
the Point-du-Jour, at the Porte-Maillot, at Saint-Ouen; the Communists
have only to choose now, between flight and the horrors of a terrible
death struggle! May they fly, far, far away, beyond the reach of
vengeance, despised, forgotten if that be possible! I am told that the
Central Committee is trying now to substitute itself for the Commune,
which was elected by its desire.[94] One born of the other, they will
die together.

[Illustration: ARTHUR ARNOULD, COMMISSIONER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.][93]

[Illustration: FOUNDERED CRAFT ON THE SEINE]

[Illustration: PORTE MAILLOT & Avenue de la Grande Armee.]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 92: An important document has just made the round of the
Communal press--the manifesto of the minority of the Commune, in which
twenty-one members declare their refusal to take any farther part in the
deliberations of the body, which they accuse of having delivered its
powers into the hands of the Committee of Public Safety, and thus
rendering itself null. This declaration is signed by:--Arthur Arnould,
Avrial, Andrieux, Arnold, Clemence, Victor Clement, Courbet, Franckel,
Eugene Gerardin, Jourde, Lefrancais, Longuet, Malon, Ostyn, Pindy,
Serailler, Tridon, Theisz, Varlin, Vermorel, Jules Valles.

Adding to these twenty-one secessionists, twenty-one members who have
resigned:--Adam, Barre, Brelay, Beslay, De Bouteiller, Cheron,
Desmarest, Ferry, F