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things take their course； Saint…Prix and Leclerc； the officers in
command； threatened with death； have nothing to do but to yield with a
protest。 There is the same state of things in the Montreuil
section； the resistance of four out of six of the battalion officers
merely served to give full power to the instigator of the
insurrection； and henceforth Santerre becomes the sole leader of the
assembled crowd。 About half…past eleven he leaves his brewery； and；
followed by cannon； the flag； and the truck which bears the poplar
tree； he places himself at the head of the procession 〃consisting of
about fifteen hundred persons including the bystanders。〃＇36＇ Like a
snowball； however； the troop grows as it marches along until； on
reaching the National Assembly； Santerre has behind him from seven to
eight thousand persons。＇37＇ Guadet and Vergniaud move that the
petitioners be introduced； their spokesman； Huguenin； in a bombastic
and threatening address； denounces the ministry； the King； the accused
at Orleans； the deputies of the 〃Right；〃 demands 〃blood；〃 and informs
the Assembly that the people 〃resolute〃 is ready to take the law in
their own hands。＇38＇ Then； with drums beating and bands playing； the
crowd defiles for more than an hour through the chamber under the eyes
of Santerre and Saint…Huruge： here and there a few files of the
National Guard pass mingled with the throng and lost in 〃the moving
forest of pikes〃； all the rest is pure rabble； 〃hideous faces；〃＇39＇
says a deputy； on which poverty and loose living have left their
marks； ragamuffins； men 〃without coats；〃 in their shirt…sleeves； armed
in all sorts of ways； with chisels and shoe…knives fastened on sticks；
one with a saw on a pole ten feet long； women and children； some of
them brandishing a saber。＇40＇ In the middle of this procession； an
old pair of breeches ＇culottes＇ borne on a pike with this motto：
Vivent les Sans…Culottes！ and； on a pitch…fork； the heart of a calf
with this inscription： C？ur d'aristocrate； both significant emblems of
the grim humor the imaginations of rag…dealers or butchers might come
up with for a political carnival。 This； indeed； it is； they have
been drinking and many are drunk。＇41＇ A parade is not enough； they
want also to amuse themselves： traversing the hall they sing ？a ira
and dance in the intervals。 They at the same time show their civism by
shouting Vive les patriotes！ A bas le Veto！ They fraternise； as they
pass along； with the good deputies of the 〃Left〃； they jeer those of
the 〃Right〃 and shake their fists at them； one of these； known by his
tall stature； is told that his business will be settled for him the
first opportunity。＇42＇ Thus do they flaunt their collaborators to the
Assembly； everyone prepared and willing to act； even against the
Assembly itself。 And yet； with the exception of an iron…railing
pushed in by the crowd and an irruption on to the terrace of the
〃Feuillants；〃 no act of violence was committed。 The Paris population；
except when in a rage； is rather voluble and curious than ferocious；
besides； thus far； no one had offered any resistance。 The crowd is
now sated with shouting and parading； many of them yawn with boredom
and weariness；＇43＇ at four o'clock they have stood on their legs for
ten or twelve hours。 The human stream issuing from the Assembly and
emptying itself into the Carrousel remains stagnant there and seems
ready to return to its usual channels。 This is not what the leaders
had intended。 Santerre； on arriving with Saint…Huruge； cries out to
his men； 〃Why didn't you enter the chateau？ You must go in that is
what we came here for。〃＇44＇ A lieutenant of the Val…de…Grace gunners
shouts： 〃We have forced open the Carrousel； we must force open the
chateau too！ This is the first time the Val…de…Grace gunners march
they are not j。。。。 f。。。。 Come； follow me； my men； on to the
enemy！＇45＇ … 〃Meanwhile； outside the gate； some of the municipal
officers selected by Pétion amongst the most revolutionary members of
the council； overcome resistance by their speeches and commands。
'After all；〃 says one of them； named Mouchet； 〃the right of petition
is sacred。〃 〃 Open the gate！〃 shout Sergent and Boucher…René；
〃nobody has a right to shut it。 Every citizen has a right to go
through it！〃＇46＇ A gunner raises the latch； the gate opens and the
court fills in the winkling of an eye；＇47＇ the crowd rushes under the
archway and up the grand stairway with such impetuosity that a cannon
borne along by hand reaches the third room on the first story before
it stops。 The doors crack under the blows of axes and； in the large
hall of the Oeil de B？uf； the multitude find themselves face to face
with the King。
In such circumstances the representatives of public authority； the
directories； the municipalities； the military chiefs； and； on the 6th
of October； the King himself； have all thus far yielded； they have
either yielded or perished。 Santerre； certain of the issue； preferred
to take no part in this affair； he prudently holds back； he shies
away； and lets the crowd push him into the council chamber； where the
Queen； the young Dauphin； and the ladies have taken refuge。＇48＇
There； with his tall； corpulent figure； he formed a sort of shield to
forestall useless and compromising injuries。 In the mean time； in the
Oeil de B？uf； he lets things take their course； everything will be
done in his absence that ought to be done； and in this he seems to
have calculated justly。 On one side； in a window recess； sits the
King on a bench； almost alone； while in front of him； as a guard； are
four or five of the National Guards； on the other side； in the
apartments； is an immense crowd； hourly increasing according as the
rumor of the irruption spreads in the vicinity； fifteen or twenty
thousand persons； a prodigious accumulation； a pell…mell traversed by
eddies； a howling sea of bodies crushing each other； and of which the
simple flux and reflux would flatten against the walls obstacles ten
times as strong； an uproar sufficient to shatter the window panes；
〃frightful yells；〃 curses and imprecations； 〃Down with M。 Veto！〃 〃Let
Veto go to the devil！〃 〃Take back the patriot ministers！〃 〃He shall
sign； we won't go away till he does！〃＇49＇ Foremost among them all；
Legendre； more resolute than Santerre； declares himself the spokesman
and trustee of the powers of the sovereign people： 〃Sir；〃 says he to
the King； who； he sees； makes a gesture of surprise； 〃yes； Sir； listen
to us； you are made to listen to what we say！ You are a traitor！ You
have always deceived us； you deceive us now！ But look out； the measure
is full； the people are tired of being played upon ！ 〃 〃 Sire；
Sire；〃 exclaims another fanatic； 〃I ask you in the name of the hundred
thousand beings around us to recall the patriot ministers。 。 。 I
demand the sanction of the decree against the priests and the twenty
thousand men。 Either the sanction or you shall die！〃 But little is