"Thank you, sir," said the jailer; "but we had better make haste, for they are burning the papers."
"Then there is not an instant to be lost," cried the physician. "To the Archives."
He darted off towards the office, drawing the mob with him, at the head of which still marched Billet and Pitou.
[CHAPTER XIV.]
THE TRIANGLE OF LIBERTY.
At the door of the Register Hall they had made a bonfire of the documents.
One of the first feelings of the masses after a victory is for destruction, unfortunately. The memorials of the prison were turned out of the large room, where the records of all the prisoners since a hundred years back were kept higgledy piggledy. The mob shut up the papers with anger, seeming to think that they gave the prisoners freedom by annulling the warrants.
Gilbert, assisted by Pitou, looked at the registers, but the present year's was missing. Though a calm and cool man, the doctor stamped his foot with impatience while he turned blanched.
At this Pitou spied a boy, such a little hero as always pops up in the reign of King Mob, who was carrying on his head the volume to throw it into the fire. With his long legs he soon overtook him. It was the register for 1789. The deal did not take long, for Ange announced himself as one who had captured the place and explained that a prisoner wanted the book. The boy gave it up with the comforting remark that there were lots more where it came from.