The “Colonel-Generals” had remained neutral until then; discipline, so carefully maintained by the commanding officers, had prevailed with the men. But when, in the evening, they saw the _chasseurs_ of Normandy falling back on the citadel for refuge, these their comrades of the infantry opened the gates to them, brought them in and joined cause with them, refusing any longer to listen to their officers, who still strove for peace. They carried things, indeed, even further than that. M. de Livarot and M. de Montrosier--that last lieutenant of the King--on coming out of the gate which led into the square, saw that they were surrounded by a group of mutineers, whose attitude was menacing. Despite the efforts of the few officers who were present, these two were dragged into a casemate, where their situation was simply that of prisoners. During this time the most sinister rumours were circulating in the town, kept alive by the infantry of the Crown and the Royal-Vaisseaux regiments. People expected nothing less than to see the cannons of the citadel open their throats and vomit down grape-shot on the populace. Shortly, on the walls of the houses and in the _cafés_, the uneasy citizens might read a strange proclamation, at the authorship of which all the world could guess. It opened with this apostrophe:-- “LET US BEWARE, CITIZENS, LET US BEWARE, _and thrice: Let us beware_. We are deceived, we are betrayed, we are sold!... But we are not yet ruined; we have our weapons! _The infernal Fitz-James_[3] is gone with all his crew ... they have contented themselves with keeping back a useless lot. “_Livaro, the infamous Livaro_, is said to be in our citadel; _Montrosier_, the atrocious author of all our ills, sleeps peacefully. “The soldiers, whom they have tried to corrupt, offer these men to us.... What are we waiting for? Why do we not show all France that we are _Citizens_, that we are _Patriots_? Is it for the orders of our Commandant that we look? But has not the _aristocrat_ of _Orgères_ already shown us how unworthy he is of the place which we have blindly entrusted to him?... He commands us only that he may lead us into the abyss. Seconded by his sycophant, _Carette_, and by the traitors whom our cowardice leaves in command over us; leagued with the heads of all the aristocratic intrigues, he now seeks to alienate from us our brave comrades of the Crown, and of Royal-des-Vaisseaux. Shall we let them go? No; ... but we will march with them.... We will go and seize _Livarot_, _Montrosier_, and deliver them up, bound hand and foot, to the utmost severity of the august National Assembly! “Why are not our conscript Fathers convoked? Is the General Council of the Commune a mere phantom? Is the blood of our citizens less precious than vile pecuniary interests? Would not our secret enemies flinch before the enlightenment and the patriotism of our Notables? _Ah! Citizens! Let us beware, and once more let us beware!_”