the rigour of military organisation; enervated by defeat, having been
maintained by their officers in the illusion of their invincibility;
annoyed by their uniform, of which they ceased to be proud, the
humiliated soldiers sought to escape into the citizen. Were the
commanding officers ignorant of the prevailing spirit of the troops?
Must we admit that they were grossly deceived, or that they deceived the
Government, when the latter might and ought to have been in a position
to foresee the result. Possibly the Assembly had the right to coerce,
but they had no right to be ignorant of their power. They must have
known that 100,000 arms (chassepots, tabatières,[10] and muskets) were
in the hands of disaffected men, clanking on the floors of the dealers
in adulterated wines and spirits, and low cabarets. The fact is, the
Government took a leap in the dark, and wondered when they found the
position difficult.


FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 5: Appendix, note 2.]

[Footnote 6: A mark of insult.]

[Footnote 7: This useless artillery was much ridiculed; jokers said that
the notary of General Trochu was working out faithfully the "plan" of
his illustrious client in these tardy fortifications.]

[Footnote 8: How was the Government to act in the presence of these
facts; to await events, or to strike a great blow?

Some think that the resistance of the insurgents was strengthened by the