nces of
such importance failure itself makes the attempt an error.[8]

Well! said the Government, who could imagine that the line would throw
up the butt ends of their muskets,[9] or that the Chasseurs, after the
loss of a single officer, would turn their backs upon the Nationals, and
that their only deeds should be the imbibing of plentiful potations at
the cost of the insurgents? But how could it be otherwise? Not many days
since the soldiers were wandering idly through the streets with the
National Guards; were billeted upon the people, eating their soup and
chatting with their wires and daughters, unaccustomed to discipline and
the rigour of military organisation; enervated by defeat, having been
maintained by their officers in the illusion of their invincibility;
annoyed by their uniform, of which they ceased to be proud, the
humiliated soldiers sought to escape into the citizen. Were the
commanding officers ignorant of the prevailing spirit of the troops?
Must we admit that they were grossly deceived, or that they deceived the
Government, when the latter might and ought to have been in a position
to foresee the result. Possibly the Assembly had the right to coerce,
but they had no right to be ignorant of their power. They must have
known that 100,000 arms (chassepots, tabatieres,[10] and muskets) were
in the hands of disaffected men, clanking on the floors of the dealers
in adulterated wines and spirits, and low cabarets. The fact is, the
Government took a leap in the dark, and wondered when they found the
position difficult.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 5: Appendix, note 2.]

[Footnote 6: A mark of insult.]

[Footnote 7: This useless artillery was much ridiculed; jokers said that
the notary of General Trochu was working out faithfully the "plan" of
his illustrious client in these tardy fortifications.]

[Footnote 8: How was the Government to act in the presence of these
facts; to await events, or to strike a great blow?

Some think that the resistance of the insurgents was strengthened by the
measures taken by Government, which ought to have been more diplomatic
and skilful. The agitation of these men of Montmartre, at the entry of
the Prussians, had calmed down in a few hours; it was now the duty of
Government to allay the irritation which had caused the insurgents to
form their Montmartre stronghold, and not to follow the advice of
infuriated reactionaries, who make no allowance for events and
circumstance