Pierre Lefranc explained to them that the walls at that moment were
covered with placards which the curious crowd were thronging to read,
that he had glanced over one of them at the corner of his street, and
that the blow had fallen.

"The blow!" exclaimed Michel. "Say rather the crime."

Pierre Lefranc added that there were three placards--one decree and two
proclamations--all three on white paper, and pasted close together.

The decree was printed in large letters.

The ex-Constituent Laissac, who lodged, like Michel de Bourges, in the
neighborhood (No. 4, Cité Gaillard), then came in. He brought the same
news, and announced further arrests which had been made during the
night.

There was not a minute to lose.

They went to impart the news to Yvan, the Secretary of the Assembly, who
had been appointed by the Left, and who lived in the Rue de Boursault.

An immediate meeting was necessary. Those Republican Representatives who
were still at liberty must be warned and brought together without delay.

Versigny said, "I will go and find Victor Hugo."

It was eight o'clock in the morning. I was awake and was working in bed.
My servant entered and said, with an air of alarm,--