At this news, hearts melted, eyes were moist with tears of gladness, and hands clasped; no longer were there opposition parties or inimical castes, for all Parisians understood that they were brothers and all men that they were free.
A million of men mutually embraced.
Billet and Pitou wanted no part in the rejoicing, they sought the liberation of the prisoners.
Traversing Government yard, they passed near a man in grey clothes, calmly leaning on a gold-headed cane: it was the governor, quietly waiting for his friends to save him or his foes to lay him low.
Billet recognized him at sight, and uttered an outcry. He walked straight up to him. Launay knew him again, also; but folded his arms and looked at Billet as much as to say:
"Is it you who will deal me the first stab?"
"If I speak to him," thought the farmer, "they will know him, and then he will be killed."
Yet how would he find Dr. Gilbert in this chaos? how wrest from the Bastile the grim secret enshrouded in its womb? Launay understood all this heroic hesitation and scruple.
"What do you want?" asked he, in an undertone.
"Nothing," rejoined Billet, pointing out that the doorways are doorless all the way to the street, "nothing; but I should like to find Dr. Gilbert."