One of the officers was wounded, and Joseph received several of the missiles on his legs, and shoulders, and hat.
"Here we are!" said one of the gendarmes, as they entered Monsieur Hochon's hall, "and not without difficulty, lieutenant." "We must now manage to disperse the crowd; and I see but one way, gentlemen," said the lieutenant to the magistrates.

"We must take Monsieur Bridau to the Palais accompanied by all of you; I and my gendarmes will make a circle round you.

One can't answer for anything in presence of a furious crowd of six thousand--" "You are right," said Monsieur Hochon, who was trembling all the while for his gold.
"If that's your only way to protect innocence in Issoudun," said Joseph, "I congratulate you.

I came near being stoned--" "Do you wish your friend's house to be taken by assault and pillaged ?" asked the lieutenant.

"Could we beat back with our sabres a crowd of people who are pushed from behind by an angry populace that knows nothing of the forms of justice ?" "That will do, gentlemen, let us go; we can come to explanations later," said Joseph, who had recovered his self-possession.
"Give way, friends!" said the lieutenant to the crowd; "_He_ is arrested, and we are taking him to the Palais." "Respect the law, friends!" said Monsieur Mouilleron.
"Wouldn't you prefer to see him guillotined ?" said one of the gendarmes to an angry group.
"Yes, yes, they shall guillotine him!" shouted one madman.
"They are going to guillotine him!" cried the women.
By the time they reached the end of the Grande-Narette the crowd were shouting: "They are taking him to the guillotine!" "They found the knife upon him!" "That's what Parisians are!" "He carries crime on his face!" Though all Joseph's blood had flown to his head, he walked the distance from the place Saint-Jean to the Palais with remarkable calmness and self-possession.