Many refused, one alleging his great age, another the res angusta domi, a third “the fear of doing the work of the Reds.”  “Say ‘fear,’ in short,” replied Charton.

On the following day, December 3d, MM.  Vivien and Bethmont took the protest to Boulay de la Meurthe, Vice-President of the Republic, and President of the Council of State, who received them in his dressing-gown, and exclaimed to them, “Be off!  Ruin yourselves, if you like, but without me.”

On the morning of the 4th, M. de Cormenin erased his signature, giving this unprecedented but authentic excuse:  “The word ex-Councillor of State does not look well in a book; I am afraid of injuring my publisher.”

Yet another characteristic detail.  M. Behic, on the morning of the 2d, had arrived while they were drawing up the protest.  He had half opened the door.  Near the door was standing M. Gautier de Rumilly, one of the most justly respected members of the Council of State.  M. Behic had asked M. Gautier de Rumilly, “What are they doing?  It is a crime.  What are we doing?” M. Gautier de Rumilly had answered, “A protest.”  Upon, this word M. Behic had reclosed the door, and had disappeared.  He reappeared later on under the Empire—­a Minister.

CHAPTER III.

INSIDE THE ELYSEE

During the morning Dr. Yvan met Dr. Conneau.  They were acquainted.  They talked together.  Yvan belonged to the Left.  Conneau belonged to the Elysee.  Yvan knew through Conneau the details of what had taken place during the night at the Elysee, which he transmitted to us.

One of these details was the following:—­

An inexorable decree had been compiled, and was about to be placarded.  This decree enjoined upon all submission to the coup d’etat.  Saint-Arnaud, who, as Minister of War, should sign the decree, had drawn it up.  He had reached the last paragraph, which ran thus:  “Whoever shall be detected constructing a barricade, posting a placard of the ex-Representatives, or reading it, shall be....” here Saint-Arnaud had paused; Morny had shrugged his shoulders, had snatched the pen from his hand, and written “shot!”

Other matters had been decided, but these were not recorded.

Various pieces of information came in in addition to these.

A National Guard, named Boillay de Dole, had formed one of the Guard at the Elysee, on the night of the 3d and 4th.  The windows of Louis Bonaparte’s private room, which was on the ground floor, were lighted up throughout the night.  In the adjoining room there was a Council of War.  From the sentry-box where he was stationed Boillay saw defined on the windows black profiles and gesticulating shadows, which were Magnan, Saint-Arnaud, Persigny, Fleury,—­the spectres of the crime.

Korte, the General of the Cuirassiers, had been summoned, as also Carrelet, who commanded the division which did the hardest work on the following day, the 4th.  From midnight to three o’clock in the morning Generals and Colonels “did nothing but come and go.”  Even mere captains had come there.  Towards four o’clock some carriages arrived “with women.”  Treason and debauchery went hand in hand.  The boudoir in the palace answered to the brothel in the barracks.