The Commander returned to his troops. But, before explaining
anything, measuring Lieutenant Picard from head to foot, he said:

"You are a numskull, you are,--a goose, the disgrace of the army.
I shall degrade you."

The Lieutenant replied: "I'll attend to that myself." And he went
over to a group of muttering civilians.

Then the doctor hesitated. What should he do? Make an assault?
Would his men obey him? And then, was he surely in the right? An
idea burst upon him. He ran to the telegraph office, on the other
side of the square, and hurriedly sent three dispatches: "To the
Members of the Republican Government, at Paris"; "To the New
Republican Prefect of the Lower Seine, at Rouen"; "To the New
Republican Sub-Prefect of Dieppe."

He exposed the situation fully; told of the danger run by the
commonwealth from remaining in the hands of the monarchistic
mayor, offered his devout services, asked for orders and signed
his name, following it up with all his titles. Then he returned
to his army corps and, drawing ten francs out of his pocket,
said:

"Now, my friends, go and eat and drink a little something. Only
leave here a detachment of ten men, so that no one leaves the
mayor's house."

Ex-Lieutenant Picard chatting with the watch-maker, overheard