Hiding my own alarm for fear of increasing hers, I answered my wife, who was asking what new thing was about to happen, that it was probably troops marching in or out of garrison.

But soon reports of firearms, accompanied by an uproar with which we were so familiar that we could no longer mistake its meaning, were heard outside.

Opening my window, I heard bloodcurdling imprecations, mixed with cries of "Long live the king!" going on.

Not being able to remain any longer in this uncertainty, I woke a captain who lived in the same house.

He rose, took his arms, and we went out together, directing our course towards the point whence the shouts seemed to come.