were to
leave the prefecture. "I fear," he said, "that you are to be taken
to Mazas. I am not sure, but a man cannot have such good prisoners
as you are in his charge without taking some interest in them."

On being brought forth from their corridor, they found themselves
in a crowd of priests (hostages like themselves) who were being
sent to Mazas. The youth of the Seminary students at once attracted
attention, and the Vicar-General, Monseigneur Surat, said: "I can
understand that priests and old men should be here, gentlemen,
but not that you, mere Seminarists, should be forced to share the
troubles of your ecclesiastical superiors."

The transfer to Mazas was in the _voitures cellulaires_. They were
so low and narrow that every jolt threw the occupant against the sides
or roof. In one of these cells the venerable and infirm archbishop
had been transferred to Mazas a short time before.

Each prisoner on reaching Mazas was shut up in a tiny cell. Paul
wrote (for they were allowed writing materials):

"I have a nice little cell, with a bit of blue sky above it, to
which my thoughts fly, and a hammock, so that it is possible for
me to sleep again. I hardly dare to tell you I am happy, and am
trusting myself in God's hands, for I am anxious about you, and
anxious for our poor France. I have my great comfort,--work. I
have already written an essay on Saint Paul, which I have been
some time meditating. I am expecting a Bible, and with that I think
I could defy weariness for years. A few days ago I discovered that
one of my friends was next to me. We bid each other good night
and good morning by rapping against the wall, and this would make
us less lonely, were we oppressed by solitude."

At the close of this letter he adds,--

"I have at last received the dear Bible. You should have seen how I
seized and kissed it! Now the Commune may leave me here to moulder,
if it will!"

On Sunday, May 21, the Versailles army began to make its way into
Paris, and the Commune, seeing its fantastic and terrible power
about to pass away, tried to startle the world by its excesses.
Orders were sent at once to Mazas to send the archbishop, the priests,
Senator Bonjean, suspected spies, and _sergents de ville_ to that
part of the prison of La Roquette reserved for condemned criminals.
Paul and his friend the other Seminarist were of the number.

Before the gates of La Roquette they found a fierce crowd shouting
insults and curses. M