We threatened to arrest them, to fling them into prison, and to shoot them, if they lied; they gave up their arms, and declared they were at the mercy of the authorities of the town.
Two of them who were badly wounded were taken to the hospital; the rest were put in the prison adjoining the town hall.
It was nearly three or four o'clock in the afternoon; these men had come from Planchenoit in forty-eight hours; they had ridden more than a league and a half per hour, for the bearers of ill tidings travel on wings.
When some of the men had been sent off to the hospital and others to prison, everybody dispersed to spread the bad news over the town.
As the posting-house is always the most reliable place at which to obtain news, my mother and I installed ourselves there.
At seven o'clock a courier arrived; he was covered with mud, his horse shook from head to foot, and was ready to drop with fatigue. He ordered four horses to be ready for a carriage which was following him, then he leapt on his horse and set off on his journey again.
It was in vain we questioned him: he either knew nothing or would not say anything.
The four horses were taken out of the stables and harnessed in readiness for the carriage: a rapidly approaching heavy rumble announced it was coming, soon we saw it appear round the corner of the street and draw up at the door.
The master of the post came forward and stood stupefied. I took hold of his coat tails and asked: "Is it he? the emperor?"