"'With the Republicans, of course!' he replied.
"'What to do?'
"'To attack all the guardhouses at the barriers. Are you coming?'
"'Rather! Yes.' And I went. A few of the guardhouses made resistance, but nearly all surrendered without firing. I had no arms, to my disgust. Fortunately, during the attack on one of the positions, a young man, well dressed and with refined manners, fired a pistol; it was overloaded: the butt end went one way and the muzzle another, and the young man fell backwards. I leapt upon the muzzle, picked it up and put it in my pocket, intending to cock it on the sly.
"'Good! the Republicans have artillery,' said Auguste.
"Meanwhile the young man of the pistol picked himself up; he was hurt in the hand, and blood was flowing copiously.
"'Where is there a piece of rag?' he said; 'who has a bit of linen?'
"A boy in a blouse tore his shirt and gave strips of it to the injured man, who kissed him.
"'How funny it is!' I said to Auguste. 'I have never cried at a play and yet I am crying now.'