Hence Billet's belief that he would never be liberated but by being plucked forth.
Hence the popular transport may be felt when the shout rose of "Down with the Bastile!"
But it was, as the soldiers said, an insane project to think of capturing the King's Prison-Castle.
The Bastile had a garrison, artillery and provisions. The walls were fifteen feet thick at the top and forty at the base.
The governor was Count Launay, who had thirty thousand pounds of gunpowder in the magazine, and had promised in case of annoyance to blow up the fort and with it all that part of Paris.
Nevertheless Billet marched forward, but he did not have to do any shouting.
Liking his martial mien, the multitude felt he was one of their kind, and commenting on his words and bearing, it followed him, increasing like the flowing tide.
When Billet came out on St. Michel's quay, he had behind him more than three thousand men, armed with hatchets, cutlasses, pikes and guns.
All were shouting: "On, to the Bastile!"
Billet was making the reflections which his knowledge of the stronghold warranted, and the vapor of his enthusiasm faded gradually.