The Countess De Charny - Volume II by Alexandre Dumas Page B

reason of their number, but of their faith and courage.
    They were thoroughly impregnated with the spirit of the Revolution.
    On the 17th of July they sent an address to the Assembly : —
     
    58 LA COMTESSE DE CHARNY.
    ” You have declared the country in danger,” they said; “but do you uot phvce yourselves, too, iu a dangerous position by prolonging the reign of traitors f Send for Lafayette, suspend the chief executive, disst)lve the directories, and strengthen the judicial power.”
    On August 3rd, Petion himself repeated this demand, and in behalf of the municipality insisted upon a resort to arms. It is true, however, that there were two dogs behind him, snapping at his legs, — Danton and Sergent.
    “The municipality denounces the executive power,” said Petion. “To cure the evils from which Prance is now suffering, we must attack them at the very root, and at once. We would prefer that the king’s suspension from office be only temporary, but the Constitution forbids that; and as he is continually referring and appealing to the Constitution, we not only ask his abdication, but demand it.”
    Hear the King of Paris thus denouncing the King of France, — the King of the City -Hall declaring war against the King of the Tuileries !
    The consideration of this question of abdication was too dangerous. The committee shrank from it, and the discussion was deferred until August 9th.
    On August 8th the Assembly decided it had no legal grounds for proceding against Lafayette. The Assembly was evidently retracing its steps. What would it decide the next day in relation to the king’s déposai? Did it intend to oppose the plainly expressed will of the people? The Assembly had better take care! Is it possible the members cannot see the inevitable result of such imj^rudence now?
    On the 3rd of August — the same day Petion asked for the king’s déposai — the people in the Saint Marceau district became weary of suffering for food by reason of this protracted state of uncertainty, and sent delegates to the Quinz-Vingts section to ask their brothers of the Faubourg Saint Antoine if they would march with them upon the Tuileries.
     
    BARBAEOUX’S FIVE HUNDRED. 59
    “We will,” was the prompt reply.
    On August 4th the Assembly censured the insurrec-tionary proclamation of the Maucouseil section.
    On the 5th the Commune refused to promulgate this decree. It was not enough for the King of Paris to declare war upon the King of France : here was the municipality formally opposing the Assembly, — positively defying them, in fact.
    The report of all these proceedings, of course, reached the ears of the Marseillais. They had guns, but no cartridges. They clamoured loudly for cartridges, but their request was refused.
    On the evening of August 4th, shortly after the condemnation of the Mauconseil proclamation was announced, two members of the Marseilles battalion presented themselves at the mayor’s office. There were but two municipal officers present at the time, — Sergent, a devoted adherent of Danton, and Panis, a Eobespierre man.
    “What do you want? ” inquired the two magistrates.
    “Cartridges,” the young men replied.
    “We have been expressly forbidden to furnish any.”
    ” Forbidden to furnish cartridges ! Why, there is a fight near at hand, and we have no means of defence.”
    “Did you bring us to Paris to have our throats cut?” cried the other man, indignantly.
    The first Marseillais pulled out a pistol; but Sergent only smiled.
    “No threats, young man,” he responded. “The municipal authorities of Paris are not to be intimidated.”
    “Who is talking of threats and intimidation?” retorted the young stranger. ” This pistol is not for you, but for me.” And, placing the muzzle against his forehead, be added, ” Give me powder, cartridges, or, upon the word of a Marseillais, I ‘11 blow my brains out.”
    Sergent had the imagination of an artist, and a real French heart. He felt that