. And now this continually increasing
multitude at nightfall? Have they daggers too? Alas, with them too,
after angry parleyings, there has begun a groping and a rummaging;
all men in black, spite of their Tickets of Entry, are clutched by the
collar, and groped. Scandalous to think of; for always, as the dirk,
sword-cane, pistol, or were it but tailor's bodkin, is found on him, and
with loud scorn drawn forth from him, he, the hapless man in black, is
flung all too rapidly down stairs. Flung; and ignominiously descends,
head foremost; accelerated by ignominious shovings from sentry after
sentry; nay, as is written, by smitings, twitchings,--spurnings, a
posteriori, not to be named. In this accelerated way, emerges, uncertain
which end uppermost, man after man in black, through all issues, into
the Tuileries Garden. Emerges, alas, into the arms of an indignant
multitude, now gathered and gathering there, in the hour of dusk, to see
what is toward, and whether the Hereditary Representative is carried
off or not. Hapless men in black; at last convicted of poniards made to
order; convicted 'Chevaliers of the Poniard!' Within is as the burning
ship; without is as the deep sea. Within is no help; his Majesty,
looking forth, one moment, from his interior sanctuaries, coldly bids
all visitors 'give up their weapons;' and shuts the door again. The
weapons given up form a heap: the convicted Chevaliers of the poniard
keep descending pellmell, with impetuous velocity; and at the bottom
of all staircases, the mixed multitude receives them, hustles, buffets,
chases and disperses them. (Hist. Parl. ix. 139-48.)

Such sight meets Lafayette, in the dusk of the evening, as he returns,
successful with difficulty at Vincennes: Sansculotte Scylla hardly
weathered, here is Aristocrat Charybdis gurgling under his lee! The
patient Hero of two Worlds almost loses temper. He accelerates, does
not retard, the flying Chevaliers; delivers, indeed, this or the other
hunted Loyalist of quality, but rates him in bitter words, such as
the hour suggested; such as no saloon could pardon. Hero ill-bested;
hanging, so to speak, in mid-air; hateful to Rich divinities above;
hateful to Indigent mortals below! Duke de Villequier, Gentleman of the
Chamber, gets such contumelious rating, in presence of all people there,
that he may see good first to exculpate himself in the Newspapers; then,
that not prospering, to retire over the Frontiers, and begin plotting