The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-21

HUGO, BOnnparte grew uneasy. ana the mask
OF his impenctrabo vsrgo showed sinister
flashes. He was alone in his private room,
scotcd before the fireplace. with feet on the
fender. motioulcss. n,orosc. abstrGctod. No one
had access to him but noguci. who stole in
from time to time with message or report. Tho
news he brought WAS bad. In ono Of the
bG,talions. for instance. which had Just
voted on the first Of those dclusivc APP
peals which were to prostitute the name
OF plebscte. there had been no less than
ono hundred and seventy Nos. Again,
tho projectors Of tho comp deidi had counted.
it appears. on the Fourteenth Of tho Line, which
had fired upon the people in the previous
February. But the Colonel Of this regiment was
unwilling to resume that business. and had
Just broken his sword. There were signs that
the spirited summons Of the Republican Dcpu
tics might arouse an echo after all. Paris
seemed 10 be stirring. waking UP. Tho process
OF fermentation was catching the most remote
and peaceful quarters. but the heart Of Paris
especially was biz with menace. This central
region Is a labyrinth OF crooked streets and
bind alleys, which seems to invite revolt. and
Just here WAS Matched the long series of popu-
lar explosions, from the League. the Frcnde.
the Revolution, to tho uprsings Of 1880
and 1913. BY II o'clock on the morn
ing OF the 4,h there wero seventy
seven barrlcadcs between Notrc Dame and the
Porto st. Martin. WI. IL the barrier vt tie
Porte ST. Denis was almost AZ rugged and re-
doubtable as that which had we'll nigh saved
the cause Of the pro,ciariat in the days Of juno.
1SiS. Tho old district OF the Hates. that city of
markets within city. was crying. Down with
Bonapartel' Tho police were hootcd. thctroors
were Kissed. Some regiments were yisibly dis
concerted. bcwildcrcd On the side uf the in
surgcnts there seemed to be no lack Of guns, Of
powder, anywhere. For the first time since the
| morning OF the I'd Hugo and his colleagues
Of tho Left felt themselves no longer iso-
lated. Behind Them he suys. looming in tho
shadow. they hehcld the huge head Of the
people. Hope seemed to have shifted TO their
side. and from dim rresentmpnt OF change.
the employees of the Mazas prison. who had
been insolent the night before. now salUtcd the
representatives in custody with Gcrrccativc re-
spect. But while appearances undoubtedly wore
favorable for the Republican leaders. the situa-
ton was in reality on the verge Of total collapse
and ruin. Saint Arnaud q" had his orders" and
some curious incidents. one 81 which may bc
mentioned here. hetOkrncd the approach OF
their fulfIment. Toward noon n General sat
on horseback in the square OF the Madeleine.
cycling pensively his indccisvc troops. H.. too
was wavering. hesitating. Just then a carriage
drove up. and woman whose beauty we are
told. was frAueAt With sinister inspiration.
came to whisper to this man The man loved
this woman; he listened. and with u lugubrious
gesture signined assent to her injunction. The
/ work he had 10 do was soon begun.
From noon to O'Clock there was throughout
this immense city predrstned to mysterious
catastrophe. an indoscrbahlr shiver of cN-
pectancy. The several regiments and bate
/ rics in garrison had left the suburbs and were
/ massed noisecssly along the Boulevards. II -
worth noting that each soldier hnd with him
| three days rations and six packages OF cast
ridges. Moreover $1,000 worth Of brandy rad
| been served out during the morning 10 each
! brigade Other ominuus preparations were
making. such as the construction of n yast
ambulance lay Government workmcn within n
stones throw Of the Boulevard Montmar,rc.
Finally. 10y O'Clock. five briGades tnmong
which It il painful to lni Canrohcris inclulcl'
and i've batteries Of artillery aesrcsatng more
than 10000 lncn. were strung Gu; along tie
crowded aver 'e- botwscn the Rue dc Ia Paix
, and the Fau1our. possonuierc. Al each street
/ crossing ttcrc were cannon-not less than
clrNrn pic'o =. for instance. fronted the Bpulc-
ward poissonnicre-while the infantry stood
with shoudsred arms. the cavalry with
drawn sahie-. What was the meaning OF
THIS unusual spectacle There WAC no
riotlnI here. no barbados This was the busy
artery Of commerce, tie gay prcmcradc given
over 10 chh-chat and diversion. tho .h,rrful re-
sort OF the lounger. tine nqu!sitivc. th" molten
sivn. OF course these soldiers had no lu~ir..s
here; their presence was. no doubt an acr.-
dent but. at all events. the pageant was worth
seeing. and accordingly from each elc, If "a,
,hgonged sidewalks, from the thresholds ul aU
the shops. from a." balconies and windows ol
every house the crowd rccrcd Gi the show So IA
surprise amusement. irony. but without sus-
Vir.ln 81 apprehension
Lulc hy little. however, this conn lcnc,
ahntcd Irony gave place % establishment
ns'onishmont fruzo into stupor. Those who
traversed thnt extraordinary moment. says
Hugo. will never forget it, sensations. You
OWNED. he tells lis, all at once that there WAS
something behind and beneath this martial
mummcry-a mysterious yotion somrwhcr'
whose purpose was fust ripenine. But what
purpose? You felt yourself walled up IN IN,
unexpected and unknown. Yet. after all. you
knew yourself To- bee strong you were out un-
der the bright sun. in the crisp air under your
feet the Furnished pavement Of IL" NOS, civil
l2"d city in Chr.stcnCom; you were enVirunci
by thos" v.ew'tss but inviolable 'ulwark>
| tho moral guarantees OF order; you
were the republic you were Paris. YOU
were Frauce-whai WAS there 10 shivcr ntj
surely noth!ns. and accordingly some AdlY
sRunlcrcr would break oui nuw AMI then wta
Down with Bouapar'e! The troops mean
while. held their peace, bat the sabre wahrI
outside the erabhnrd. and the lshted mat 'l
snlok I'd beside the guns. TIN heavy. murh,
cloud seemed 10 grow with every moment more
dark, moro dense. moro dumb This slow.
creeping opacity WIS rogt'nl.us. trac zeal
what treason miehtnotl e lurking iu thatui-hti
what catastrophe might lrhpout of H. shnduWl
suddenly suys Hugo Il wiutoW opened -lNtt