From time to time some greater clamour arose from the square. A spy was shot against the barricade of the Victoria Avenue. Some were audacious enough to penetrate into the most intimate councils.[186] That evening, at the Hôtel-de-Ville, Bergeret had received the verbal authorisation to fire the Tuileries, when an individual pretending to be sent by him asked for this order in writing. He was still speaking when Bergeret returned. "Who sent you?" said he to the personage. "Bergeret." "When did you see him?" "Just here, a moment ago."
During this evening, Raoul Rigault, taking orders from himself only, and without consulting any of his colleagues, repaired to the prison of Ste. Pélagie, and signified to Chaudey that he was to die. Chaudey protested, said he was a Republican, and swore that he had not given the order to fire on the 22nd January. However, he had been at that time the only authority in the Hôtel-de-Ville. His protestations were of no avail against Rigault's resolution. Led into the exercise-ground of Ste. Pélagie, Chaudey was shot, as were also three gendarmes taken prisoners on the 18th March. During the first siege he had said to some partisans of the Commune, "The strongest will shoot the others." He died perhaps for those words.
FOOTNOTES:
[185] Appendix XVI.
[186] Appendix XVII.
CHAPTER XXIX.
"Nos vaillants soldats se conduisent de manière à inspirer la plus haute estime, la plus grande admiration à l'étranger."—Discours de M. Thiers, à l'Assemblée Nationale le 24 Mai 1871.
WEDNESDAY 24TH—THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL EVACUATE THE HÔTEL-DE-VILLE—THE PANTHÉON IS TAKEN—THE VERSAILLESE SHOOT THE FEDERALS BY HUNDREDS—THE FEDERALS SHOOT SIX HOSTAGES—THE NIGHT OF THE CANNON.