ming behind, the
mass dimly lighted by the waving torches that here and there marked the
presence of an officer. Gradually the sounds of the "Marseillaise" grew
fainter and fainter, and soon a dreary silence pervaded that varied
host, more terrible now, as they stood speechless, than in all the
tumultuous din of the wildest uproar. Meanwhile, from the streets which
opened into the Place at the furthest end, the columns of the National
Guard began to move up, the leading files carrying torches; behind them
came ten pieces of artillery, which, as they issued, were speedily
placed in battery, and flanked by the heavy dragoons of the Guard; and
now, in breathless silence, the two forces stood regarding each other,
the cannoniers with lighted matches in their hands, the dragoons firmly
clasping their sabres--all but waiting for the word to plunge into the
deadliest strife. It was a terrible moment--the slightest stir in the
ranks--the rattling of a horse's panoply--the clank of a sabre--fell
upon the heart like the toll of a death-bell. It was then that two or
three horsemen were seen to advance from the troops of the Convention,
and approaching the others, were speedily lost among their ranks. A low
and indistinct murmur ran along the lines, which each moment grew
louder, till at last it burst forth into a cry of "Vive la Convention."
Quitting their ranks, the men gathered around a general of the National
Guard, who addressed them in words of passionate eloquence, but of which
I was too distant to hear any thing. Suddenly the ranks began to thin;
some were seen to pile their arms, and move away in silence; others
marched across the Place, and took up their position beside the troops
of the National Guard: of the cannoniers many threw down their matches,
and extinguished the flame with their feet, while others again,
limbering up their guns, slowly retired to the barracks.

As for myself, too much interested in the scene to remember that I was,
in some sort, an actor in it, I sat upon the caisson, watching all that
went forward so eagerly, that I never noticed the departure of my
companions, nor perceived that I was left by myself. I know not how much
later this discovery might have been deferred to me, had not an officer
of the "Guard" ridden up to where I was, and said "Move up, move up, my
lad; keep close to the battery." He pointed at the same time with his
sabre in the direction where a number of guns and carriages were