the _canaille_, he dropped pale and
fainting to the ground, attacked by a severe illness. He was hardly
convalescent when the events of the 18th of March occurred. But early in
April, he exerted himself to assume the direction of the _Mot d'Ordre_,
which, after having been suppressed by order of General Vinoy, the
military commandant of Paris, had reappeared immediately upon the
establishment of the Commune. He arrived on the scene of contest about
the 8th or 10th of April. The daily report of military operations states
the movements of the enemy, and points out what should be done to meet
and resist him most advantageously (12th, 13th, and 14th of April; 10th;
16th, and 20th of May). Imaginary successes, the inaccuracy of which
must in most instances have been known to the chief editor of the _Mot
d'Ordre_, encouraged the hopes of the insurgents, while the
announcement of unsuccessful combats was delayed with evident intention;
the most ridiculous stories, the falsity of which was evident to the
plainest common sense, and which could not escape the intelligence of M.
Rochefort, were published in his journal, and kept up the popular
excitement (12th, 15th, 19th, 26th, 27th, and 28th of April; 6th and 7th
of May). It was in this manner that the pretended Pontifical Zouaves
were brought upon the scene, with emblazoned banners, which were seized
by the soldiers of the Commune (18th and 19th of April, 8th and 10th of
May); that the Government of Versailles was furnished with war material
given by, or purchased from the Prussians (27th and 28th of April, 6th
and 17th of May); that it was again accused of making use of explosive
bullets (18th and 19th of May), and of petroleum bombs (20th of April,
and 2nd, 5th, 17th, and 19th of May); and that the best-known and most
respected generals had been guilty of the grossest acts of cruelty and
barbarity. Incitement to civil war (2nd and 26th of April and 14th and
24th of May) followed, as did also the oft-repeated accusation against
the Government of wishing to reduce Paris by famine; indescribable
calumnies directed against the Chief of the Executive Power (2nd, 16th,
20th, and 30th of April, and 8th of May), against the minister, the
Chambers (16th of April and 14th of May), and the generals (12th, 16th,
and 26th of April). The director of the _Mot d'Ordre_ then finding that
men's minds were prepared for all kinds of excesses, started the idea of
the demolition of M. Thiers's hous