, giving imaginary
names, suspicious of the waiters, and awaking at the least sound,
thinking it is the noise of feet ascending the stairs, or the rattle of
muskets on the landing. The day before yesterday a number of
_refractaires_, having the courage of despair, walked to the Porte
Saint-Ouen--"Will you let us out?" asked they of the commanding officer,
who answered in a decided negative; whereupon the party, which was three
hundred strong, fell upon the captain and his men, whom they disarmed,
and five minutes afterwards they were running free across the fields.

Others employ softer means of corruption; resort to the wine-shops of
Belleville, where they make themselves agreeable in every way, and soon
succeed in entering into friendly conversation with some of the least
ferocious among the Federals of the place.

[Illustration: REFRACTAIRES ESCAPING FROM PARIS]

"You are on duty, Tuesday, at the Porte de la Chapelle?"--"Why,
yes."--"So that you might very easily let a comrade out who wants to go
and pay a visit at Saint-Denis?"--"Quite out of the question; the others
would prevent me, or denounce me to the captain."--"You think there is
nothing to be done with the captain?"--"Oh! no; he is a staunch patriot,
he is!"--"How very tiresome; and I wanted most particularly to go to
Saint-Denis on Tuesday evening. I would gladly give twenty francs out of
my own pocket for the sake of a little walk outside the
fortifications."--"There is only one way."--"And how is that?"--"You
don't care much about going out by the door, do you?"--"Well, no; what I
want is to get outside."--"Oh! then listen to me; come to La-Chapelle
early on Tuesday evening, and walk up and down the rampart. I will try
and be on duty at eight o'clock, and look out for you. When I see you I
will take care not to say _qui vive_."--"That's easy enough; and what
then?"--"Why, then I will secure around you a thick rope which of course
you will have with you!"--"The devil!"--"And I will throw you into the
trench."--"By Jove! That will be a leap."--"Oh! I will do it very
carefully, without hurting you. I will let you slip softly down the
wall."--"Humph!"--"When you reach the ground below, in an instant you
can be up and off into the darkness. Do you accept? Yes or no?"--"I
should certainly prefer to drive out of the city in a coach and six,
but nevertheless I accept."

Generally, this plan answers admirably. They say that the Federals of
Belleville and Montm