o time only to be
driven back by the fists and feet of the police agents and with the
flat of the cavalry sabre.

The authorities knew their ground. The Rue Royale was the key to the
military position.

But in the attempt to clear the Place de la Concorde the nearest
fugitives were thrust into the Rue Royale and driven by horse and foot
towards the Madeleine, where they were mercilessly kicked outside the
lines to shift for themselves, an unwilling part of a frenzied mob.

"I'm a rat in a trap here," growled the young man, having been
literally thrown through the lower cordon by two stalwart agents.

The shopkeepers had put up their heavy shutters. The grilles were
closed. People looked down from window and balcony upon a street
sealed as tight as wax.

Having witnessed the infantry reserves ambushed behind the Ministry of
Marine filling their magazines, and being confronted by a fresh emeute
above, Jean Marot began to feel queer for the first time of a day of
brawls.

He recalled the historical fact that here in this narrow street a
thousand people were slain in a panic on the occasion of the
celebration of the marriage of Marie Antoinette.

A horseman with drawn sabre rode at him and ordered him to move on
more quickly.

"But where to, Monsieur le Caporal?"

"Anywhere, mon enfant! Out of this, now! Circulate!"

"But----"

"There is no 'but!' What business have you here? You are not a
Deputy!" The man urged him with his sabre.

"Hold, Monsieur le Caporal! Has, then, a citizen of Paris no longer
any right to go home without insult from the uniform?"

"Where do you live, monsieur?"

"Just around the corner in the Faubourg St. Honore," replied the young
man.

"Ah!" growled the cavalryman, doubtfully, "and there is another
route."

All of this time the soldier's horse, trained by much service of this
sort during the preceding year, was pushing Jean along of his own
accord,--now with his breast, now with his impatient nose,--to the
considerable sacrifice of that young man's dignity. The latter edged
up to the wall, but the horse followed him, shoving him along gently
but firmly under a loose rein.

Jean flattened himself against a doorway to escape the pressure. But
the horse paused also and leaned against him.

"Oh, say, then!"

"Hello! Here they come again!" exclaimed the corporal, reining in his
horse, with his eyes bent towards the Madeleine.

At this juncture the door was suddenly opened an