He unfolded on the mantel-piece the roll which he had in his hand.  It was a species of blotting-book made of very thin blue paper, and which seemed to be slightly oiled.  Between each leaf of blue paper there was a sheet of white paper.  He took out of his pocket a sort of blunt bodkin, saying, “The first thing to hand will serve your purpose, a nail or a match,” and he traced with his bodkin on the first leaf of the book the word “Republic.”  Then turning over the leaves, he said, “Look at this.”

The word “Republic” was reproduced upon the fifteen or twenty white leaves which the book contained.

He added, “This paper is usually used to trace the designs of manufactured fabrics.  I thought that it might be useful at a moment like this.  I have at home a hundred books like this on which I can make a hundred copies of what you want—­a Proclamation, for instance—­in the same space of time that it takes to write four or five.  Write something, whatever you may think useful at the present moment, and to-morrow morning five hundred copies shall be posted throughout Paris.”

I had none of the documents with me which we had just drawn up.  Versigny had gone away with the copies.  I took a sheet of paper, and, leaning on the corner of the chimney-piece, I wrote the following Proclamation:—­

  “TO THE ARMY.

  “Soldiers!

  “A man has just broken the Constitution.  He tears up the oath which
  he has sworn to the people; he suppresses the law, stifles Right,
  stains Paris with blood, chokes France, betrays the Republic!

  “Soldiers, this man involves you in his crime.

“There are two things holy; the flag which represents military honor and the law which represents the National Right.  Soldiers, the greatest of outrages is the flag raised against the Law!  Follow no longer the wretched man who misleads you.  Of such a crime French soldiers should be the avengers, not the accomplices.

“This man says he is named Bonaparte.  He lies, for Bonaparte is a word which means glory.  This man says that he is named Napoleon.  He lies, for Napoleon is a word which means genius.  As for him, he is obscure and insignificant.  Give this wretch up to the law.  Soldiers, he is a false Napoleon.  A true Napoleon would once more give you a Marengo; he will once more give you a Transnonain.

“Look towards the true function of the French army; to protect the country, to propagate the Revolution, to free the people, to sustain the nationalities, to emancipate the Continent, to break chains everywhere, to protect Right everywhere, this is your part amongst the armies of Europe.  You are worthy of great battle-fields.

  “Soldiers, the French Army is the advanced guard of humanity.