"We can but die," responded Charny, bowing.
The queen heaved a sigh, and went into her own rooms.
[CHAPTER XII.]
THE FIRST MASSACRE.
Mandat had hardly been slain, before the Commune nominated Santerre as commanding general in his stead, and he ordered the drums to beat in all the town and the bells to be rung harder than ever in all the steeples. He sent out patrols to scour the ways, and particularly to scout around the Assembly.
Some twenty prowlers were made prisoners, of whom half escaped before morning, leaving eleven in the Feuillants' guard-house. In their midst was a dandified young gentleman in the National Guard uniform, the newness of which, the superiority of his weapons, and the elegance of his style, made them suspect he was an aristocrat. He was quite calm. He said that he went to the palace on an order, which he showed the examining committee of the Feuillants' ward. It ran:
"The National Guard, bearer of this paper, will go to the palace to learn what the state of affairs is, and return to report to the Attorney-and-Syndic-General of the Department.
(Signed) "Boirie,
"Leroulx,
"Municipal Officers."
The order was plain enough, but it was thought that the signatures were forged, and it was sent to the City Hall by a messenger to have them verified.