On Sunday, at eight o'clock in the morning, a shot sounded in Merlet's chamber. His room was entered, and he was found lying on the ground, his head pierced by the ball of a revolver. The disorder of the room attested a struggle; and a captain of the 99th, released later on by the Versaillese, B----, admitted that he had dispersed the elements of the electric pile by means of which Merlet intended to spring the fort. On Monday towards mid-day the Versaillese colonel renewed the proposal for a surrender. For twenty-four hours the struggle had been over in Paris. The officers deliberated; it was agreed that the gates should be opened, and at three o'clock the Versaillese entered. The garrison, having laid down their arms, had drawn up at the end of the court. Nine officers were incarcerated apart. In the night, in the fosses, a hundred yards from the spot where the Duke of Enghien had fallen, these nine officers formed in a line before a firing-party. One of them, Colonel Delorme, turned to the Versaillese in command with the words, "Feel my pulse; see if I am afraid." FOOTNOTES: [194] Minister of War from 1871, he was in 1876, notwithstanding the desperate efforts of MacMahon, expelled from the Ministry, partly because of irregularities discovered in his budget, partly for having let his mistress, a German, take the plan of one of the new forts round Paris, which was transmitted to Berlin. [195] Since promoted to a higher grade. [196] _Enquete sur le 18 Mars_, vol. ii. p. 239. [197] See Appendix XX. [198] Heard and reported by the author of the book _Le Fond de la Societe sous la Commune_. The author wittily adds, "What the devil was this imbecile solicitous about?" [199] Appendix XXI. [200] The Versaillese calumniators, pursuing him even to his last hour, spread abroad that he had confessed to a Jesuit, and had disavowed his writings "in presence of the gendarmes and nuns." [201] "Marshal MacMahon to General Vinoy, 29th May, 10.5 morning.--On our propositions to enter the fort, Prince of Saxony has given the order to enlarge the blockade, in order to leave the French authorities free to act as they think fit. He has promised to preserve the blockade."--_Vinoy, L'Armistice et la Commune_, p. 430. CHAPTER XXXII. "Nous sommes d'honnetes gens; c'est par les lois ordinaires que justice sera faite. Nous n'aurons recours qu'a la loi."--_M. Thiers a l'Assemblee Nationale, 22 Mai 1871._ "Honest, honest Iago!"--_Shakespere._ THE VERSAILLESE FURY--THE SLAUGHTER-HOUSES--THE PREVOTAL COURTS--THE DEATH OF VARLIN--THE BURIALS.