I had to give it up at last, and to content myself with circulating inside the ramparts.

On them, however, I managed to get, thanks to a tradesman with whom I had often dealt, who was in command.

I was told that a member of the Government, his name no one seemed to know, had addressed the "poste" yesterday, and urged the men to resist until one or other of the armies which were forming in the provinces could arrive and crush the enemy.

Everything appeared, where I was, ready for an attack.

The sentinels were posted at short intervals, the artillerymen were lying about near their guns, and in the Rue des Remparts there were several hundred National Guards.