The courtyard was filled with lancers, who held the horses of the generals who were deliberating.

Two of the women who came that night belong in a certain measure to History.  There are always feminine shadows of this sort in the background.  These women influenced the unhappy generals.  Both belonged to the best circles.  The one was the Marquise of ——­, she who became enamored of her husband after having deceived him.  She discovered that her lover was not worth her husband.  Such a thing does happen.  She was the daughter of the most whimsical Marshal of France, and of that pretty Countess of ——­ to whom M. de Chateaubriand, after a night of love, composed this quatrain, which may now be published—­all the personages being dead.

    The Dawn peeps in at the window, she paints the sky with red;
    And over our loving embraces her rosy rays are shed: 
    She looks on the slumbering world, love, with eyes that seem divine. 
    But can she show on her lips, love, a smile as sweet as thine?[13]

The smile of the daughter was as sweet as that of the mother, and more fatal.  The other was Madame K——­, a Russian, fair, tall, blonde, lighthearted, involved in the hidden paths of diplomacy, possessing and displaying a casket full of love letters from Count Mole somewhat of a spy, absolutely charming and terrifying.

The precautions which had been taken in case of accident were visible even from outside.  Since the preceding evening there had been seen from the windows of the neighboring houses two post-chaises in the courtyard of the Elysee, horsed, ready to start, the postilions in their saddles.

In the stables of the Elysee in the Rue Montaigne there were other carriages horsed, and horses saddled and bridled.

Louis Bonaparte had not slept.  During the night he had given mysterious orders; thence when morning came there was on this pale face a sort of appalling serenity.

The Crime grown calm was a disquieting symptom.

During the morning he had almost laughed.  Morny had come into his private room.  Louis Bonaparte, having been feverish, had called in Conneau, who joined in the conversation.  People are believed to be trustworthy, nevertheless they listen.

Morny brought the police reports.  Twelve workmen of the National Printing Office had, during the night of the Second, refused to print the decrees and the proclamations.  They had been immediately arrested.  Colonel Forestier was arrested.  They had transferred him to the Fort of Bicetre, together with Croce Spinelli, Genillier, Hippolyte Magen, a talented and courageous writer, Goudouneche, a schoolmaster, and Polino.  This last name had struck Louis Bonaparte.  “Who is this Polino?” Morny had answered, “An ex-officer of the Shah of Persia’s service.”  And he had added, “A mixture of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.”  These prisoners had been placed in Number Six Casemate.  Further questions