al's epaulets. It is of no use talking to them of
political duties, of obedience to the laws, of the Constitution. What
do they know about all this? What is a Constitution; what are the most
holy laws, against three words which a corporal may murmur into the ear
of a sentinel? Take a pair of scales, put in one side the Gospels, in
the other the official instructions; now weigh them. The corporal turns
the balance; the Deity kicks the beam.

God forms a portion of the order of the day of Saint Bartholomew. "Kill
all. He will recognized his own."

This is what the priests accept, and at times glorify.

Saint Bartholomew has been blessed by the Pope and decorated with the
Catholic medal.[22]

Meanwhile Ossian Dumas appeared determined. The captain made a last
effort.

"You will ruin yourself," said he.

"I shall save my honor."

"It is precisely your honor that you are sacrificing."

"Because I am going away?"

"To go away is to desert."

This seemed to impress Ossian Dumas. The captain continued,--

"They are about to fight. In a few minutes the barricade will be
attacked. Your comrades will fall, dead or wounded. You are a young
officer--you have not yet been much under fire."

"At all events," warmly interrupted Ossian Dumas, "I shall not have
fought against the Republic; they will not say I am a traitor."

"No, but they will say that you are a coward."

Ossian made no reply.

A moment afterwards the command was given to attack.

The regiment started at the double. The barricade fired.

Ossian Dumas was the first who fell.

He had not been able to bear that word "coward," and he had remained in
his place in the first rank.

They took him to the ambulance, and from thence to the hospital.

Let us at once state the conclusion of this touching incident.

Both of his legs were broken. The doctors thought that it would be
necessary to amputate them both.

General Saint-Arnaud sent him the Cross of Honor.

As is known, Louis Bonaparte hastened to discharge his debt to his
praetorian accomplices. After having massacred, the sword voted.

The combat was still smoking when the army was brought to the
ballot-box.

The garrison of Paris voted "Yes." It absolved itself.

With the rest of the army it was otherwise. Military honor was
indignant, and roused the civic virtue. Notwithstanding the pressure
which was exercised, although the regiments deposited their votes in
the shakos of their colonels,