But the human inundation rolled towards the river as though it intended to drown him.
"Another they mean to murder," shouted Gilbert; "let us try to save him at any rate."
But he had hardly got the words out of his mouth before a pistol-shot resounded; Flesselles disappeared in the smoke.
Gilbert covered his eyes, cursing the multitude, great but unable to remain pure, and sullying the victory by a triple murder.
When he took his hands from his eyes, he beheld three heads on pike points: Flesselles', Launay's and Losme's. One rose on the City Hall steps, another in the mouth of Tixeranderie Street and the last in Pelletier Street, so that the trio formed a triangle. He remembered the sign in the Order of the Invisibles.
"Oh, Balsamo," he muttered, "is this the emblem of Liberty?"
And sighing, he fled up Vannerie Street, dragging Billet and Pitou with him.
[CHAPTER XV.]
THE YOUNG VISIONARY.