He went down Chartres Street, followed by Pitou who dragged the sabre after him by the scabbard-straps, not knowing how it ought to be hooked up till Billet showed him.
"You looked like a traveling-tinker," he said.
On Louis XV. Square they met the column, started off to go over the river to the Invalides but stopped short. The bridges and the Champs Elysées were blocked.
"Try the Tuileries Garden bridge," suggested Billet.
It was quite a simple proposition; the mob accepted it and followed Billet: but swords shining half way to the Gardens indicated that cavalry intercepted the march to that bridge.
"These confounded dragoons are everywhere," grumbled the farmer.
"I believe we are caught," said his friend.
"Nonsense, five or six thousand men are to be caught, and we are that strong."
The dragoons came forward, slowly, but it was an advance.
"The Royale Street is left us," said Billet; "come this way, Ange."