* * * * *

But I didn't go soon enough. The unspoken pleading in Paul
Stravoinski's eyes lost its hold on me by another day. I had work to
do; why should I neglect it to go scuttling home because someone who
feared these swarming rats had begged me to run for cover? And the
French people were prepared. A little rioting, perhaps; a pistol shot
or two, and a machine-gun that would spring from nowhere and sweep the
street--!

We know now of the document that the Russian Ambassador delivered to
the President of France, though no one knew of it then. He handed it
to the portly, bearded President at ten o'clock on the morning of
April thirtieth. And the building that had housed the Russian
representatives was empty ten minutes later. Their disguises must have
been ready, for if the sewers of Paris had swallowed them they could
have vanished no more suddenly.

And the document? It was the same in substance as those delivered in
like manner in every capital of Europe: twenty-four hours were given
in which to assure the Central Council of Russia that the French
Government would be dissolved, that communism would be established,
and that its executive heads would be appointed by the Central
Council.

And then the bulletins appeared, and the exodus began. Papers floated
in the air; they blew in hundreds of whirling eddies through the
streets. And they warned all true followers of the glorious Russian
faith to leave Paris that day, for to-morrow would herald the dawn of
a new heaven on earth--a Communistic heaven--and its birth would come
with the destruction of Paris....

I give you the general meaning though not the exact words. And, like
the rest, I smiled tolerantly as I saw the stream of men and women and
frightened children that filtered from the city all that day and
night; but I must admit that our smiles were strained as morning came
on the First of May, and the hour of ten drew near.

Paris, the beautiful--that lovely blossom, flowering on the sturdy
stalk that was _La Belle France_! Paris, laughing to cover its
unspoken fears that morning in May, while the streets thudded to the
feet of marching men in horizon blue, and the air above was vibrant
with the endless roar of planes.

This meant war; and mobilization orders were out; yet still the deadly
menace was blurred by a feeling of unreality. A hoax!--a huge
joke!--it was absurd, the thought of a distant people imposing their
wil