When the evacuation of Mont-Valerien became known at Versailles, generals and deputies begged M. Thiers to have it reoccupied. He obstinately refused, declaring this fort had no strategical value. During the whole day of the 19th they still failed. At last Vinoy, in his turn, urged by them, succeeded on the 20th, at one o'clock in the morning, in wresting an order from M. Thiers. A column was immediately despatched, and at mid-day a thousand soldiers occupied the fortress. Not until evening, at eight o'clock, did the battalions of Ternes present themselves; the governor easily got rid of their officers. Lullier, on making his report to the Central Committee, said he had occupied all the forts, and even named the battalion which, according to him, was then in possession of Mont-Valerien. FOOTNOTES: [92] I need not justify the long quotations I shall make. The French proletarian has never been allowed to speak in books of history; at least he should do so in the recital of his own revolution. [93] The two generals have testified to the extreme consideration shown them in their prison. See the _Enquete sur le 18 Mars_. Two days later, on Chanzy's simple promise not to serve against Paris, the Central Committee set them free. [94] _Enquete sur le 18 Mars_, Dr. Danet, vol. ii. p. 531. [95] Of course the Radicals have seen in this a Bonapartist manoeuvre, have written and said from the tribune of the Assembly, "The Bonapartist director of the Bank of France saved the Revolution; without the million of the Monday the Central Committee would have capitulated." Two facts answer this: From the 19th the Committee had in the Ministry of Finance 4,600,000 francs; the municipal coffers contained 1,200,000 francs, and on the 21st the Octroi had brought in 500,000 more. CHAPTER VI. "L'idee de voir un massacre me remplissait de douleur."-- _Jules Favre, Enquete sur le 4 Septembre._ THE MAYORS, THE DEPUTIES, THE JOURNALISTS, THE ASSEMBLY COMBINE AGAINST PARIS--THE REACTION MARCHES ON THE PLACE VENDOME, AND IS PUNISHED. On the 21st the situation stood out in bold relief. At Paris--the Central Committee, with it all the workmen and all the generous and enlightened men of the small middle-class. The Committee said, "We have but one object--the elections. Everybody is welcome to co-operate with us, but we shall not leave the Hotel-de-Ville before they have been made." At Versailles--the Assembly;--all the monarchists, all the great bourgeoisie, all the slaveholders. They yelled, "Paris is only a rebel, the Central Committee a band of brigands." Between Versailles and Paris--a few Radical deputies, all the mayors, many adjuncts. They comprised the Liberal bourgeois, that sacred herd that makes all revolutions and allows all the empires to be made. Despised by the Assembly, disdained by the people, they cried to the Central Committee, "Usurpers!" and to the Assembly, "You will spoil all."