The High Court, in reality, was temporary and renewable; the coup d’etat overthrew the Constitution, but did not understand it.  The warrant signed “Maupas” was applicable to the preceding High Court.  The coup d’etat had been misled by an old list.  Such is the heedlessness of assassins.

“Mr. Commissary of Police,” continued the President, “you see that these names are not ours.”

“That does not matter to me,” replied the Commissary.  “Whether this warrant does or does not apply to you, disperse, or I shall arrest all of you.”

And he added,—­

“At once.”

The judges were silenced; one of them picked up from the table a loose sheet of paper, which was the judgment they had drawn up, and put the paper in his pocket.

Then they went away.

The Commissary pointed to the door where the bayonets were, and said,—­

“That way.”

They went out by the lobby between two ranks of soldiers.  The detachment of Republican Guards escorted them as far as the St. Louis Gallery.

There they set them free; their heads bowed down.

It was about three o’clock.

While these events were taking place in the Library, close by, in the former great Chamber of the Parliament, the Court of Cassation was sitting in judgment as usual, without noticing what was happening so near at hand.  It would appear, then, that the police exhaled no odor.

Let us at once have done with this High Court.

In the evening at half-past seven the seven judges met together at the house of one of their number, he who had taken away the decree; they framed an official report, drew up a protest, and recognizing the necessity of filling in the line left blank in their decree, on the proposition of M. Quesnault, appointed as Procureur-General M. Renouard, their colleague at the Court of Cessation.  M. Renouard, who was immediately informed, consented.

They met together for the last time on the next day, the 3d, at eleven o’clock in the morning, an hour before the time mentioned in the judgment which we have read above,—­again in the Library of the Court of Cassation.  M. Renouard was present.  An official minute was given to him, recording his appointment, as well as certain details with which he asked to be supplied.  The judgment which had been drawn up was taken by M. Quesnault to the Recorder’s Office, and immediately entered upon the Register of the Secret Deliberations of the Court of Cassation, the High Court not having a Special Register, and having decided, from its creation, to use the Register of the Court of Cassation.  After the decree they also transcribed the two documents described as follows on the Register:—­

I. An official report recording the interference of the police during the discussion upon the preceding decree.

II.  A minute of the appointment of M. Renouard to the office of Procureur-General.