words were nearly
identical with those which he uttered as he fell: 'I am no traitor!'"
His worst enemies have said of him that he was a good soldier in a bad
cause.]

[Footnote 111: At the prison of Sainte-Pelagie, on Tuesday, the 23rd of
May, the unfortunate gendarmes, who had been made prisoners on the 18th,
were shot, together with M. Chaudey, a writer, on the _Siecle_, arrested
at the office of the journal, and conducted, first to Mazas and
afterwards to Sainte-Pelagie. (Appendix 11).

According to the _Siecle_, the "Procureur" of the Commune, Raoul
Rigault, presented himself, at the office at about eleven at night, and
having sent for M. Chaudey, said to him, without any preamble: "I am
here to tell you that you have not an hour to live."

"You mean to say that I am to be assassinated," replied Chaudey.

"You are to be shot, and that directly," was the other's rejoinder.

But, on reaching the prison, the National Guards who had been summoned
refused to do the odious work, and the Procureur went himself to find
others more docile. Chaudey was led before them, Raoul Rigault drew his
sword to give the signal, the muskets were levelled and fired, and
Chaudey fell, but wounded only. A sergeant gave him the death blow by
discharging his pistol at his head. The next day, a hundred and fifty
hostages of the Commune, confined at the Prefecture of Police, amongst
whom were Prince Galitzin and Andreoli, a journalist, were about to be
shot by an order of Ferre, when the incendiary fires broke out and
prevented the execution of the order. At eleven o'clock, Raoul Rigault
commanded the prisoners to be released, and enjoined them to fight for
the Commune; upon their refusal, a shower of balls was discharged at
them. The prisoners rushed for refuge into the Rue du Harlay, which was
in flames, and were afterwards rescued by a detachment of the line.

That same day was fatal to Raoul Rigault. He was perceived by a party of
infantry at the moment when he was ringing at the door of a house in the
Rue Gay Lussac. His colonel's uniform instantly made him a mark for the
soldiers; he had time to enter the house, however, but was soon
discovered, gave his name, and allowed himself to be taken off towards
the Luxembourg, but before reaching it, he began to shout, "Vive la
Commune!" "Down with the assassins!" and made an effort to escape. The
soldiers thrust him against a wall and shot him down.

The next day, the 24th, marked the fa