the new democratic
State, he shall sway men to his purposes....

And now the mob, re-enforced by many of the popular soldiery, seeks
the Bastille. Our previous description of the system of lettres de
cachet and the wholesale imprisonments without warrant of law, will
have given readers some idea of the hate with which this fortress of
injustice was commonly regarded. Many of the attackers, no doubt, had
friends or relatives immured there. 'Twas the monstrous and visible
crime of the Kingship--the object all had immediately in view when
crying "Down with tyranny!"

In less than a day the Bastille falls. 'Tis but feebly defended by a
few aged veterans and a handful of valiant Swiss. Their first fire
kills some of the commoners and lashes the mob to fury. Up on the
walls, bastions and parapets, away from the guns at the port
holes, crawl some of the more daring attackers. Others bring
cannon, preparing to carry the siege by cannonade, investiture and
starvation.

The governor, seeing that it is a losing fight, parleys and yields.
But, instead of observing the terms of the honorable surrender and
safe-conduct, the inrushing mob slays and mutilates a number of the
officers and defenders--the first inkling of what murder and rapine
the Wild Beast of the Proletariat will commit!

"Set free the victims of the tyrants!" is the sole thought after the
lust of blood is satiated. The dungeons are opened, the prisoners
brought forth, joy of reunion or pathos of sorrow is the result of
these strange meetings, many of the victims being but the wrecks or
shadows of their old selves.

"Set free the victims of tyranny!"

After the Bastille La Salpetriere, the famous female prison, is
summoned. Already the inmates are on the qui vive of expectation. Mad
and sane are flying about from cells to courtyard, and courtyard to
barred windows, like birds in storm-flight.

Impatient, restless little Henriette, between the bars of her cage, is
looking out wonderingly on a re-made world. What does it mean?
Release? the easy path to her lost Louise?

Pray Heaven it does--

CHAPTER XVII

PRISON DELIVERY--AND AN ENCOUNTER

The jailers deliver the keys; the mob pours tumultuously into the
female prison. What cries of joy, what sobs of relief from the saner
inmates, as they try to _think_ their new, almost incredible jail
delivery! What stony, uncomprehending glances or what wild shrieks
from the maniacal! Amid this confused throng