THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ÉMILE ZOLA. Эмиль Золя

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СКАЧАТЬ would be full of people, had arranged so as to produce a final dramatic stroke. It was for that reason he had led his followers through all the narrow streets, before bringing them suddenly into the midst of the crowd. He wanted to give the gathering time to form and he sought above all, to fatigue his men, to deprive them of sound judgment, to turn them into furious maniacs, whom he would then cast to the four corners of the city to bring out the entire population.

      As soon as the procession had left the Rue d’Aubagne, the crowd opened violently before him, with cries of rage and horror. There was a crush which threw the onlookers against the houses, and the funeral procession, amidst the fury and terror it excited on every side, went straight ahead, piercing the crowd, tracing a broad road, which closed behind it amidst frightful tumult.

      On reaching the upper end of the Cannebière the procession broke the line of National Guards who were barring the street, and passed through the crowd assembled on the pavement, to the Place de la République. The effect produced on this second gathering was terrible in the extreme.

      These few bleeding men seemed to cast burning embers around them as they marched along.

      Mathéus allowed the procession to be lost in the old town and ran rapidly uphill towards the Cours Saint Louis. As he crossed it, he perceived in a café which was then undergoing repairs, some National Guards who had taken refuge there in order to save themselves from being torn to pieces by the mob. He returned, so as to put in action a plan that the sight of the National Guards had instilled into him. His sole anxiety consisted in seeing the workmen without arms, because the struggle would only be serious from the moment the people had guns. If a few shots were not immediately exchanged, the crowd might be dompted and muzzled. It was the want of arms that alone delayed the insurrection.

      So soon as he reached the Cours Saint Louis again, he mixed with the groups of people who were still excited at the view of the funeral procession, and he drew attention to the café where the municipal troops were.

      “They are Carlists,” he exclaimed. “Down with the National Guard!”

      That cry found a responding echo in the crowd. Everyone turned towards the café, every mouth began to revile and threaten those who had taken refuge there.

      “I know them,” shouted Mathéus, “they belong to the company who fired on us in the Rue de la Palud.”

      This statement was false, but who could deny it amidst such confusion. The cries became louder, and the most daring began to pick up stones and to cast them at the windows where they saw the National Guards. The latter were guilty of the imprudence of pointing their muskets at the people. Then the crowd lost their heads and rushed toward the café. Mathéus was ahead and shouted:

      “We want muskets. Let us disarm them!”

      Philippe and Marius had been standing for a quarter of an hour at the entrance to the Rue de Rome. Being unable to advance to the first ranks, they had confined themselves to following the mob in a most excited frame of mind, and had seen the lugubrious procession go by with the dead workman.

      “Look!” Philippe exclaimed, simply pressing his brother’s arm vigorously.

      And he resumed savage silence. Then, when the National Guards pointed their muskets at the people, he dashed forward, without uttering a word and rushed with the mob to the assault of the café.

      He and Marius, who had followed him step by step, entered the café almost at the same time as Mathéus. The rooms above were invaded in a few seconds, the National Guards being prudent enough not to offer any serious resistance and allowing themselves to be disarmed by the first who entered.

      Philippe seized two muskets and presented one to his brother.

      “No,” said the latter. “I don’t fight with Frenchmen.”

      Philippe gave a gesture of impatience and hurried off to the Cours, without even looking to see if Marius was following him. The latter, none the less, went after him, unable to make up his mind to leave him, and still hoping to save him from the scrimmage.

      The excitement was intense on the Cours and Cannebière. The few rioters who had succeeded in procuring muskets by disarming the National Guard, ran and mixed with the Republican companies massed on the pavement. Philippe stopped before the Hôtel des Empereurs, at one or two paces from Mathéus.

      It was just at that moment that the General made another attempt at conciliation. He showed himself again in the crowd preaching concord. By a fatal error the people continued to regard him as the only person guilty of the accidents in the morning. As he was passing before the Hôtel des Empereurs, some men sprang at the bridle of his horse and a crowd formed round him insulting and threatening him, while a few National Guards tried in vain to release him.

      In the meanwhile, Mathéus looked to see if his gun was loaded. His eyes shone, and an ugly smile distorted his features. A new idea had just occurred to him to hurry on events. Hiding behind the crowd, he aimed at the General who was opposite him. The gun went off and there was then a tremendous outcry. The General quietly wiped away with his hand, the few drops of blood the bullet had drawn from him in grazing his cheek.

      Mathéus’ shot was followed by several others, which completed the panic. The simple onlookers rushed away in disorder, quite terrified, and expecting to be riddled with bullets in their flight. The rioters moved off with the cry:

      “To the barricades! to the barricades!”

      It looked as if an angry breeze were sweeping the crowd away. The lines of National Guards were broken, and the companies dispersed by the torrent bearing them along. In less than two minutes, the Cannebière and Cours were deserted.

      The General had withdrawn looking pale and sad. Mathéus had disappeared as if by enchantment. Philippe full of indignation, had dashed in vain to the spot where a streak of smoke revealed the assassin’s presence; but he was only able to distinguish an indistinct form stooping down and fleeing.

      When the little square was empty, and as the drums broke the frightful silence of the streets, Marius dragged his brother towards the Place aux Œufs, where their happiness was hidden. As they entered the Grande Rue, they perceived parties of workmen occupying the square and raising barricades. Marius stifled a cry of anguish.

      It was then about noon.

      CHAPTER XVI

      THE BARRICADES AT THE PLACE AUX ŒUFS

      WHILE the crowd were flying and dispersing in terror, Philippe and Marius had remained, for a few instants, near the Hôtel des Empereurs, sheltered in the recess of a doorway, so as not to be dragged along by the rush of the multitude.

      Philippe felt all his sentiments of loyalty revolting within him, at the cowardly attempt that had been made on the General’s life, and his brother, who could read this indignation on his countenance, took advantage of the opportunity to make a final effort to persuade him to throw off his connection with civil war.

      As soon as they were alone Marius said:

      “Well! do you mean to continue making common cause with these assassins?”

      “There are scoundrels in all parties,” Philippe answered sullenly.

      “I know it, but an insurrection is fatally doomed when it commences under СКАЧАТЬ