Luckily the soldiers were drunk.  The gendarmes made them drink, and the workmen, profiting by their revels, printed.  The Municipal Guards laughed, swore and jested, drank champagne and coffee, and said, “We fill the places of the Representatives, we have twenty-five francs a day.”  All the printing-houses in Paris were occupied in the same manner by the soldiery.  The coup d’etat reigned everywhere.  The Crime even ill-treated the Press which supported it.  At the office of the Moniteur Parisien, the police agents threatened to fire on any one who should open a door.  M. Delamare, director of the Patrie, had forty Municipal Guards on his hands, and trembled lest they should break his presses.  He said to one of them, “Why, I am on your side.”  The gendarme replied, “What is that to me?”

At three o’clock on the morning of the 4th all the printing-offices were evacuated by the soldiers.  The Captain said to Serriere, “We have orders to concentrate in our own quarters.”  And Serriere, in announcing this fact, added, “Something is in preparation.”

I had had since the previous night several conversations with Georges Biscarrat, an honest and brave man, of whom I shall have occasion to speak hereafter.  I had given him rendezvous at No. 19, Rue Richelieu.  Many persons came and went during this morning of the 4th from No. 15, where we deliberated, to No. 19, where I slept.

As I left this honest and courageous man in the street I saw M. Merimee, his exact opposite, coming towards me.

“Oh!” said M. Merimee, “I was looking for you.”

I answered him,—­

“I hope you will not find me.”

He held out his hand to me, and I turned my back on him.

I have not seen him since.  I believe he is dead.

In speaking one day in 1847 with Merimee about Morny, we had the following conversation:—­Merimee said, “M. de Morny has a great future before him.”  And he asked me, “Do you know him?”

I answered,—­

“Ah! he has a fine future before him!  Yes, I know M. de Morny.  He is a clever man.  He goes a great deal into society, and conducts commercial operations.  He started the Vieille Montagne affair, the zinc-mines, and the coal-mines of Liege.  I have the honor of his acquaintance.  He is a sharper.”

There was this difference between Merimee and myself:  I despised Morny, and he esteemed him.

Morny reciprocated his feeling.  It was natural.

I waited until Merimee had passed the corner of the street.  As soon as he disappeared I went into No. 15.