CHAPTER XXIII.

The Day of the Paris Sections.

The Warfare of St. Roch and the Pont Royal -- Order Restored
-- Meaning of the Conflict -- Political Dangers --
Buonaparte's Dilemma -- His True Attitude -- Sudden Wealth
-- The Directory and Their General -- Buonaparte in Love --
His Corsican Temperament -- His Matrimonial Adventures.

[Sidenote: 1795.]

In this general position the opposing forces confronted each other on
the morning of October fifth, the thirteenth of Vendemiaire. In point
of numbers the odds were tremendous, for the Convention forces
numbered only about four thousand regulars and a thousand volunteers,
while the sections' force comprised about twenty-eight thousand
National Guards. But the former were disciplined, they had cannon, and
they were desperately able; and there was no distracted, vacillating
leadership. What the legend attributes to Napoleon Buonaparte as his
commentary on the conduct of King Louis at the Tuileries was to be the
Convention's ideal now. The "man on horseback" and the hot fire of
cannon were to carry the day. Both sides seemed loath to begin. But at
half-past four in the afternoon it was clear that the decisive moment
had come. As if by instinct, but in reality at Danican's signal, the
forces of the sections from the northern portion of the capital began
to pour through the narrow main street of St. Honore, behind the
riding-school, toward the chief entrance of the Tuileries. They no
doubt felt safer in the rear of the Convention hall, with the high
walls of houses all about, than they would have done in the open
spaces which they would have had to cross in order to attack it from
the front. Just before their compacted mass reached the church of St.
Roch, it was brought to a halt. Suddenly becoming aware that in the
side streets on the right were yawning the muzzles of hostile cannon,
the excited citizens lost their heads, and began to discharge their
muskets. Then with a swift, sudden blast, the street was cleared by a
terrible discharge of the canister and grape-shot with which the
field-pieces of Barras and Buonaparte were loaded. The action
continued about an hour, for the people and the National Guard rallied
again and again, each time to be mowed down by a like awful discharge.
At last they could be rallied no longer, and retreated to the church,
which they held. On the left bank a similar melee ended in a similar
way. Three times Laff