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Updated: May 11, 2025
The street which was completely unpaved behind the barricade, was nothing better than a sewer, ankle deep in water. "I say that it will be warm," resumed the workman, "and that you would do well to go farther off." The last-maker put his hand on his shoulder: "Comrade, it is necessary that we should remain here. The meeting-place is close by, in the ambulance."
Near the Colbert Arcade, and just as I reached the point in the street where they post the theatrical bills, a workman passed me, and said quickly, "What is Joseph doing?" I recognized the last-maker. "Come," he said to me. We set out without speaking and without appearing to know each other, he walking some steps before me.
Both wore blouses; they were two workmen; with a few cartridges in their pockets, and a musket upon each of their shoulders. "So then," resumed the last-maker, in an impatient tone, "our friends have not yet come!" "Well, then," I said to him, "let us wait for them."
As we reached the second barricade we heard behind us the soldiers, who were returning. We succeeded in regaining the streets in course of demolition. There we were in safety. The sound of musketry still reached us. The last-maker said, "They are fighting in the direction of the Rue de Cléry."
A short, half-suffocated, intermittent gurgling could be heard, which seemed to come from an adjoining room on the same side as the light. The last-maker walked quickly to the half-opened door. I crossed the room after him, and we found ourselves in a sort of vast shed, lighted by one candle. We were on the other side of the plank paling.
The light fell upon a pallid face, which looked at us with fixed eyes. It was a corpse lying there; it was an old man. The last-maker rapidly waved the match from his head to his feet.
Leaving the streets in course of demolition, we went round the markets, not without risk of falling into the hands of the patrols, by a number of zigzags, and from one little street to another little street. We reached the Rue Saint Honoré. At the corner of the Rue de l'Arbre Sec the last-maker and I separated, "For in truth," said he to me, "two run more danger than one."
The last-maker lifted up one of his arms, and said, "His collar-bone is broken." The movement shook the head, and the open mouth turned towards us as though about to speak to us. I gazed at this vision; I almost listened. Suddenly it disappeared. This face re-entered the gloom; the match had just gone out. We went away in silence.
He answered "Yes," by a pressure of the hand which went to my heart. The last-maker said to me, "Wait a minute for me here, I shall be back directly; I want to see in this neighborhood, if there is any means of getting a gun." He added, "Would you like one for yourself?" "No," answered I. "I shall remain here without a gun.
The last-maker spoke for a short time in a low tone, and probably told my name to one of the two defenders of the barricade, who came up to me and saluted me. "Citizen Representative," said he, "it will be very warm here shortly." "In the meantime," answered I laughingly, "it is cold." It was very cold, in truth.
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