y. It was
with that money that the Coup d'Etat was made, and all the stories about
a million and a half of francs being handed respectively to De Morny, De
Maupas, Saint-Arnaud, and the rest are so much invention.

Up to six o'clock in the afternoon of the 1st of December, General de
Saint-Arnaud was virtually undecided, not with regard to the necessity
of the Coup d'Etat, but with regard to the opportuneness of it within
the next twelve hours. I have the following story from the lips of
Baron Lacrosse, who was one of the actors in it. On the eve of the Coup
d'Etat he was Minister of Public Works, and as such was present at the
sitting of the Assembly on the 1st of December. A member ascended the
tribune to interpellate the Minister for War, and, the latter being
absent, the question was deferred until next day. That same evening, 1st
of December, there was an official dinner at M. Daviel's, the Minister
of Justice, and at the termination of the sitting, M. Lacrosse called in
his carriage at the Ministry for War to take his colleague. "You may
make up your mind for a warm half-hour to-morrow," he said with a smile,
as he entered General Saint-Arnaud's room. "Why?" asked the general.
"You are going to be interpellated." "I expected as much, and was just
considering my answer. I am glad you warned me in time. I think I know
what to say now."

I do not believe that Baron Lacrosse had the faintest inkling of the
real drift of the remark, nor have I ever asked him directly whether he
had. As far as I could gather afterwards from one or two people who were
there, the Elysee presented no unusual feature that night. The reception
was well attended, as the ordinary receptions on Mondays generally were,
for the times had gone by when the courtyard was a howling wilderness
dotted with two, or perhaps three, hackney cabs. It would appear that a
great many well-known men and a corresponding number of pretty women
moved as usual through the salons, only one of which was shut up, that
at the very end of the suite, and which did duty as a council-chamber,
and contained the portrait of the then young Emperor of Austria,
Francis-Joseph. But this was scarcely noticed, nor did the early
withdrawal of the Prince-President provoke any comment, for it happened
pretty often. Very certain is it that at twelve o'clock that night the
Elysee was wrapt in darkness, for I happened to pass there at that hour.
Standing at the door, or rather inside i