At their head marched men holding long poles, from which hung blue placards, on which was inscribed, in huge letters: _Service of the Military Hospitals_.

On the curtains of the litters: _Wounded, Ambulance_.

The weather was dull and rainy.
"At this time there was a great crowd at the Bourse.

On all the walls bill-stickers were posting despatches announcing the adhesion of the departments to the _coup d'etat_.

Even the stockbrokers, while trying to bull the market, laughed and shrugged their shoulders at these placards.