Tuesday morning. Yesterday and Wednesday were days of
massacre."

"But, my friend," exclaimed the Marquis, impatiently, "tell us how it
happened. You laugh! It is no time to laugh."

"I do not know," replied Colville, with an odd smile. "I think there is
nothing else to be done--it is all so complete. We are all so utterly
fooled by this man whom all the world took to be a dolt. On Tuesday
morning he arrested seventy-eight of the Representatives. When Paris
awoke, the streets had been placarded in the night with the decree of
the President of the Republic. The National Assembly was dissolved. The
Council of State was dissolved. Martial law was declared. And why? He
does not even trouble to give a reason. He has the army at his back. The
soldiers cried 'Vive l'Empereur' as they charged the crowd on Wednesday.
He has got rid of his opponents by putting them in prison. Many, it
is said, are already on their way to exile in Cayenne; the prisons are
full. There is a warrant out against myself; against you, Barebone;
against you, of course, Monsieur le Marquis. Albert de Chantonnay was
arrested at Tours, and is now in La Rochelle. We may escape--we may get
away to-night--"

He paused and looked hurriedly toward the door, for some one was coming
up the stairs--some one who wore sabots. It was the servant, Marie, who
came unceremoniously into the room with the exaggerated calm of one who
realises the gravity of the situation and means to master it.

"The town is on fire," she explained, curtly; "they have begun on the
Gendarmerie. Doubtless they have heard that these gentlemen are to be
arrested, and it is to give other employment to the gendarmes. But the
cavalry has arrived from Saintes, and I come upstairs to ask Monsieur
to come down and help. It is my husband who is a fool. Holy Virgin! how
many times have I regretted having married such a blockhead as that. He
says he cannot raise the drawbridge. To raise it three feet would be to
gain three hours. So I came to get Monsieur," she pointed at Barebone
with a steady finger, "who has his wits on the top always and two hands
at the end of his arms."

"But it is little use to raise the drawbridge," objected the Marquis.
"They will soon get a ladder and place it against the breach in the wall
and climb in."

"Not if I am on the wall who amuse myself with a hayfork, Monsieur le
Marquis," replied Marie, with that exaggerated respect which implies
a knowledge of mental supe