lously; by miraculous
metal-tongue and man's arm: Marat himself, if you knew it, is pulling at
the rope there! Marat is pulling; Robespierre lies deep, invisible for
the next forty hours; and some men have heart, and some have as good as
none, and not even frenzy will give them any.

What struggling confusion, as the issue slowly draws on; and the
doubtful Hour, with pain and blind struggle, brings forth its Certainty,
never to be abolished!--The Full-power Delegates, three from each
Section, a Hundred and forty-four in all, got gathered at the Townhall,
about midnight. Mandat's Squadron, stationed there, did not hinder their
entering: are they not the 'Central Committee of the Sections' who sit
here usually; though in greater number tonight? They are there: presided
by Confusion, Irresolution, and the Clack of Tongues. Swift scouts
fly; Rumour buzzes, of black Courtiers, red Swiss, of Mandat and his
Squadrons that shall charge. Better put off the Insurrection? Yes, put
it off. Ha, hark! Saint-Antoine booming out eloquent tocsin, of its own
accord!--Friends, no: ye cannot put off the Insurrection; but must put
it on, and live with it, or die with it.

Swift now, therefore: let these actual Old Municipals, on sight of the
Full-powers, and mandate of the Sovereign elective People, lay down
their functions; and this New Hundred and forty-four take them up! Will
ye nill ye, worthy Old Municipals, ye must go. Nay is it not a happiness
for many a Municipal that he can wash his hands of such a business; and
sit there paralyzed, unaccountable, till the Hour do bring forth; or
even go home to his night's rest? (Section Documents, Townhall Documents,
Hist. Parl. ubi supra.) Two only of the Old, or at most three, we
retain Mayor Petion, for the present walking in the Tuileries; Procureur
Manuel; Procureur Substitute Danton, invisible Atlas of the whole. And
so, with our Hundred and forty-four, among whom are a Tocsin-Huguenin,
a Billaud, a Chaumette; and Editor-Talliens, and Fabre d'Eglantines,
Sergents, Panises; and in brief, either emergent, or else emerged and
full-blown, the entire Flower of unlimited Patriotism: have we not, as
by magic, made a New Municipality; ready to act in the unlimited manner;
and declare itself roundly, 'in a State of Insurrection!'--First of all,
then, be Commandant Mandat sent for, with that Mayor's-Order of his;
also let the New Municipals visit those Squadrons that were to charge;
and let the stor