once, a squadron of dragoons which had remained in the barracks up to this time, was seen to debouch at a gallop with bared swords, through the Rue Bassompierre and the Boulevard Bourdon, sweeping all before them.
Then all is said, the tempest is loosed, stones rain down, a fusillade breaks forth, many precipitate themselves to the bottom of the bank, and pass the small arm of the Seine, now filled in, the timber-yards of the Isle Louviers, that vast citadel ready to hand, bristle with combatants, stakes are torn up, pistol-shots fired, a barricade begun, the young men who are thrust back pass the Austerlitz bridge with the hearse at a run, and the municipal guard, the carabineers rush up, the dragoons ply their swords, the crowd disperses in all directions, a rumor of war flies to all four quarters of Paris, men shout:
"To arms!" they run, tumble down, flee, resist.
Wrath spreads abroad the riot as wind spreads a fire.
BOOK TENTH.--THE 5TH OF JUNE, 1832
CHAPTER IV
THE EBULLITIONS OF FORMER DAYS
Nothing is more extraordinary than the first breaking out of a riot. Everything bursts forth everywhere at once.
Was it foreseen? Yes.
Was it prepared?
No. Whence comes it?
From the pavements. Whence falls it?
From the clouds.
Here insurrection assumes the character of a plot; there of an improvisation.