our very midst."

II.

The provinces. - Destruction of old Authorities. - Inadequacy of
new Authorities

When in a building the principal beam gives way, cracks follow and
multiply, and the secondary joists fall in one by one for lack of
the prop, which supported them. In a similar manner the authority
of the King being broken, all the powers, which he delegated, fall
to the ground.[3] Intendants, parliaments, military commands, grand
provosts, administrative, judicial, and police functionaries in
every province, and of every branch of the service, who maintain
order and protect property, taught by the murder of M. de Launey,
the imprisonment of M. de Besenval, the flight of Marshal de
Broglie, the assassinations of Foullon and Bertier, know what it
costs should they try to perform their duties. Should it be
forgotten local insurrections intervene, and keep them in mind of
it.

The officer in command in Burgundy is a prisoner at Dijon, with a
guard at his door; and he is not allowed to speak with any one
without permission, and without the presence of witnesses.[4] The
Commandant of Caen is besieged in the old palace and capitulates.
The Commandant of Bordeaux surrenders Château-Trompette with its
guns and equipment. The Commandant at Metz, who remains firm,
suffers the insults and the orders of the populace. The Commandant
of Brittany wanders about his province "like a vagabond," while at
Rennes his people, furniture, and plate are kept as pledges. As