on. But
it's all folly to rely on the National Guard. They are of the people.
Only the Municipal Guard and the troops of the Line can be relied on in
the civil conflict, which is sure to come to-morrow."

"And the Ministers, what do they?" asked Thiers.

"Oh! they are not idle," replied the soldier. "The bastilles are armed,
and those of Montrouge and Aubervilliers are provisioned. The
horse-artillery at Vincennes are ready, on the instant, to gallop into
the capital. Seventy additional pieces of ordnance are now entering the
barrieres. The Municipal Guard are supplied with ball-cartridges. The
troops concentrated at sunrise to-morrow will not be less than one
hundred thousand strong. With these men in the forts and faithful, the
city can be starved in three days, National Guard and all, if
rebellious. Now is the crisis in which to test the remarkable admission
of M. Duchatel, in May, '45, that the bastilles of Paris were designed
to 'fortify order.' We shall see, we shall see!"

"And the Marshal Duke of Islay--where is he?" quietly asked Marrast,
with a significant shrug and smile.

At this mention of his bitter foe, a frown lowered on the fine face of
Lamoriciere, as he briefly and sternly replied:

"With the King, Monsieur--General Bugeaud is with the King. But they
mistake, Monsieur. Eugene Cavaignac is the man for this emergency.
Bugeaud is a soldier--a mere soldier--Cavaignac is a statesman--a
Napoleon! Paris will discriminate between the two one day, and that
shortly."

And with an abrupt military salute the conqueror of Algeria walked away,
followed by his little brother-in-law, who seemed yet shorter and more
insignificant at the side of his towering and graceful form. At the same
moment, Ledru Rollin entered in great agitation, and, having glanced
hastily around, as if in search of some one in the assemblage, advanced
straight to the journalist and grasped his hand.

"By heavens, Armand, I think the hour has arrived!"

"Whence do you come?" was the quick question.

"From the Boulevards, where I left Flocon, Louis Blanc and M. Dantes,
with the people. I tell you, Armand, the people are ripe--ripe! The
Ministerial ordinances prohibiting the banquet have kindled a flame
wherever they have gone. The pitiful manifesto of the opposition and the
counter manifesto of the Twelfth Arrondissement have only served to fan
this flame into fury. It has been our care to restrain and direct, not
to excite. It is dar