shouts outside Lamartine traced this
phrase:

"The Provisional Government declares that the Provisional Government
of France is the Republican Government, and that the nation shall be
immediately called upon to ratify the resolution of the Provisional
Government and of the people of Paris."

I had this paper, this sheet smeared and blotted with ink, in my hands.
It was still stamped, still palpitating, so to speak, with the fever
of the moment. The words hurriedly scribbled were scarcely formed.
_Appelee_ was written _appellee_.

When these half dozen lines had been written Lamartine handed the sheet
to Ledru-Rollin.

Ledru-Rollin read aloud the phrase: "The Provisional Government
declares that the Provisional Government of France is the Republican
Government--"

"The word 'provisional' occurs twice," he commented.

"That is so," said the others.

"One of them at least must be effaced," added Ledru-Rollin.

Lamartine understood the significance of this grammatical observation,
which was simply a political revolution.

"But we must await the sanction of France," he said. "I can do without
the sanction of France," cried Ledru-Rollin, "when I have the sanction of
the people."

"Of the people of Paris. But who knows at present what is the will of
the people of France?" observed Lamartine.

There was an interval of silence. The noise of the multitude without
sounded like the murmuring of the ocean. Ledru-Rollin went on:

"What the people want is the Republic at once, the Republic without
waiting."

"The Republic without any delay?" said Lamartine, covering an objection
in this interpretation of Ledru-Rollin's words.

"We are provisional," returned Ledru-Rollin, "but the Republic is not!"

M. Cremieux took the pen from Lamartine's hands, scratched out the
word "provisional" at the end of the third line and wrote beside it:
"actual."

"The actual government? Very well!" said Ledru-Rollin, with a slight
shrug of the shoulder.

The seal of the City of Paris was on the table. Since 1830 the vessel
sailing beneath a sky starred with fleurs-de-lys and with the device,
_Proelucent clarius astris_, had disappeared from the seal of the City.
The seal was merely a circle with the words "Ville de Paris" in the
centre. Cremieux took the seal and stamped the paper so hastily with it
that the words appeared upside down.

But they did not sign this rough draught. Their whereabouts had been
discovered; an impetuous s