Charpentier's note-book only contained this line, which he had written
in the darkness at the foot of the barricade while Denis Dussoubs was
speaking:--

Admonet et magna testatur voce per umbras.

[28] February 18. Louvain.

CHAPTER V.

OTHER DEEDS OF DARKNESS

Yvan had again seen Conneau. He corroborated the information given in
the letter of Alexandre Dumas to Bocage; with the fact we had the names.
On the 3d of December at M. Abbatucci's house, 31, Rue Caumartin, in the
presence of Dr. Conneau and of Pietri, a Corsican, born at Vezzani,
named Jacques Francois Criscelli,[29] a man attached to the secret and
personal service of Louis Bonaparte, had received from Pietri's own
mouth the offer of 25,000 francs "to take or kill Victor Hugo." He had
accepted, and said, "That is all very well if I am alone. But suppose
there are two of us?"

Pietri had answered,--

"Then there will be 50,000 francs."

This communication, accompanied by urgent prayers, had been made to me
by Yvan in the Rue de Monthabor, while we were still at Dupont White's.

This said, I continue my story.

The massacre of the 4th did not produce the whole of its effect until
the next day, the 5th. The impulse given by us to the resistance still
lasted for some hours, and at nightfall, in the labyrinth of houses
ranging from the Rue du Petit Carreau to the Rue du Temple, there was
fighting. The Pagevin, Neuve Saint Eustache, Montorgueil, Rambuteau,
Beaubourg, and Transnonain barricades were gallantly defended. There,
there was an impenetrable network of streets and crossways barricaded by
the People, surrounded by the Army.

The assault was merciless and furious.

The barricade of the Rue Montorgueil was one of those which held out the
longest. A battalion and artillery was needed to carry it. At the last
moment it was only defended by three men, two shop-clerks and a
lemonade-seller of an adjoining street. When the assault began the night
was densely dark, and the three combatants escaped. But they were
surrounded. No outlets. Not one door was open. They climbed the grated
gateway of the Passage Verdeau as Jeanty Sarre and Charpentier had
scaled the Passage du Saumon, had jumped over, and had fled down the
Passage. But the other grated gateway was closed, and like Jeanty Sarre
and Charpentier they had no time to climb it. Besides, they heard the
soldiers corning on both sides. In a corner at the entrance of the
Passage ther