e column. These people
accosted others, who did the same. In a few minutes many hundreds of
people were looking up and exchanging glances with one another.

In a short time Buttons had completed the circuit of the block, and
re-entered the Place by another street. He was running at a quick
pace, and, at a moderate calculation, about two thousand _gamins de
Paris_ ran before, beside, and behind him. Gens d'armes caught the
excitement, and rushed frantically about. Soldiers called to one
another, and tore across the square gesticulating and shouting.
Carriages stopped; the occupants stared up at the column; horsemen
drew up their rearing horses; dogs barked; children screamed; up
flew a thousand windows, out of which five thousand heads were thrust.

At the end of twenty minutes, after a very laborious journey, the
Senator reached the top of the column. He looked down. A cry of
amazement burst from him. The immense Place Vendome was crammed with
human beings. Innumerable upturned faces were staring at the startled
Senator. All around, the lofty houses sent all their inmates to the
open window, through which they looked up. The very house-tops were
crowded. Away down all the streets which led to the Place crowds of
human beings poured along.

"Well," muttered the Senator, "it's evident that Buttons understands
these Frenchmen. However, I must perform my part, so here goes."

And the Senator, majestically removing his hat, waved it slowly around
his head seven times. At the seventh whirl his fingers slipped, and a
great gust of wind caught the hat and blew it far out into the air.

It fell.

A deep groan of horror burst forth from the multitude, so deep, so
long, so terrible that the Senator turned pale.

A hundred thousand heads upturned; two hundred thousand arms waved
furiously in the air. The tide of new-comers flowing up the other
streets filled the Place to overflowing; and the vast host of people
swayed to and fro, agitated by a thousand passions. All this was the
work of but a short time.

"Come," said the Senator, "this is getting beyond a joke."

There was a sudden movement among the people at the foot of the
column. The Senator leaned over to see what it was.

At once a great cry came up, like the thunder of a cataract,
warningly, imperiously, terribly. The Senator drew back confounded.

Suddenly he advanced again. He shook his head deprecatingly, and waved
his arms as if to disclaim any evil motives