a face but his and mine. I
am obliged to confess that the moment was to me an awful moment. I
could not speak. My heart beat wildly as if trying to escape from my
breast--every breath I drew was with an effort. I clung to Lecamus with
deadly and helpless terror, and forced myself back upon the wall,
crouching against it; I did not turn and fly, as would have been
natural. What say I? _did_ not! I _could_ not! they pressed round us so.
Ah! you would think I must be mad to use such words, for there was
nobody near me--not a shadow even upon the road.

Lecamus would have gone farther on; he would have pressed his way boldly
into the midst; but my courage was not equal to this. I clutched and
clung to him, dragging myself along against the wall, my whole mind
intent upon getting back. I was stronger than he, and he had no power to
resist me. I turned back, stumbling blindly, keeping my face to that
crowd (there was no one), but struggling back again, tearing the skin
off my hands as I groped my way along the wall. Oh, the agony of seeing
the door closed! I have buffeted my way through a crowd before now, but
I may say that I never before knew what terror was. When I fell upon the
door, dragging Lecamus with me, it opened, thank God! I stumbled in,
clutching at Riou with my disengaged hand, and fell upon the floor of
the _octroi_, where they thought I had fainted. But this was not the
case. A man of resolution may give way to the overpowering sensations of
the moment. His bodily faculties may fail him; but his mind will not
fail. As in every really superior intelligence, my forces collected for
the emergency. While the officers ran to bring me water, to search for
the eau-de vie which they had in a cupboard, I astonished them all by
rising up, pale, but with full command of myself. 'It is enough,' I
said, raising my hand. 'I thank you, Messieurs, but nothing more is
necessary;' and I would not take any of their restoratives. They were
impressed, as was only natural, by the sight of my perfect
self-possession: it helped them to acquire for themselves a demeanour
befitting the occasion; and I felt, though still in great physical
weakness and agitation, the consoling consciousness of having fulfilled
my functions as head of the community.

'M. le Maire has seen a----what there is outside?' Riou cried,
stammering in his excitement; and the other fixed upon me eyes which
were hungering with eagerness--if, indeed, it is permitted