“Colonel,” said Fayolle, “You break the law threefold.”

“I will break it sixfold,” answered the Colonel, and he arrested Fayolle, Durrieu, and Teillard-Laterisse.

The soldiery were ordered to conduct them to the guard house of the Palace then being built for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

On the way the six prisoners, marching between a double file of bayonets, met three of their colleagues Representatives Eugene Sue, Chanay, and Benoist (du Rhone).

Eugene Sue placed himself before the officer who commanded the detachment, and said to him,—­

“We summon you to set our colleagues at liberty.”

“I cannot do so,” answered the officer.

“In that case complete your crimes,” said Eugene Sue, “We summon you to arrest us also.”

The officer arrested them.

They were taken to the guard-house of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and, later on, to the barracks of the Quai d’Orsay.  It was not till night that two companies of the line came to transfer them to this ultimate resting-place.

While placing them between his soldiers the commanding officer bowed down to the ground, politely remarking, “Gentlemen, my men’s guns are loaded.”

The clearance of the hall was carried out, as we have said, in a disorderly fashion, the soldiers pushing the Representatives before them through all the outlets.

Some, and amongst the number those of whom we have just spoken, wens out by the Rue de Bourgogne, others were dragged through the Salle des Pas Perdus towards the grated door opposite the Pont de la Concorde.[3]

The Salle des Pas Perdus has an ante-chamber, a sort of crossway room, upon which opened the staircase of the High Tribune, and several doors, amongst others the great glass door of the gallery which leads to the apartments of the President of the Assembly.

As soon as they had reached this crossway room which adjoins the little rotunda, where the side door of exit to the Palace is situated, the soldiers set the Representatives free.

There, in a few moments, a group was formed, in which the Representatives Canet and Favreau began to speak.  One universal cry was raised, “Let us search for Dupin, let us drag him here if it is necessary.”

They opened the glass door and rushed into the gallery.  This time M. Dupin was at home.  M. Dupin, having learnt that the gendarmes had cleared out the Hall, had come out of his hiding-place.  The Assembly being thrown prostrate, Dupin stood erect.  The law being made prisoner, this man felt himself set free.

The group of Representatives, led by MM.  Canet and Favreau, found him in his study.

There a dialogue ensued.  The Representatives summoned the President to put himself at their head, and to re-enter the Hall, he, the man of the Assembly, with them, the men of the Nation.

M. Dupin refused point-blank, maintained his ground, was very firm, and clung bravely to his nonentity.