Nothing ever disturbs a man fishing. To untie the rope, jump into the boat, and take possession of the oars, was but the work of a few moments. I had nearly half-way crossed the river before he recovered from his astonishment. At length, he demanded what I meant by this violence, both to himself and to his boat? I showed him a paper, and said, “An order from General Lafayette.” That was sufficient. I jumped out on the right bank, leaving the boat, with its owner, to regain the left. Once on solid ground, I took to my heels, and by Cours la Reine, and the Porte St. Honoré, I set out for M. Duplay’s house as fast as my legs could carry me. From Cours la Reine to the Church of the Assumption, in front of which M. Duplay lived, I found the streets greatly agitated and full of people. The red flag, the Mayor, the dragoons, and the paid guard were seen to pass; then, again, they had heard the terrible discharge of musketry; so that seeing me come from the Champ de Mars, running, the perspiration dropping off me, and all covered with blood, every one inquired of me the whole way along,—“What is the matter?” I had but one reply to make, and that while I was running. “The dragoons and the paid guard are slaughtering the people!” I found M. Duplay at his door, surrounded by a group of neighbors and acquaintances. I related to him all that had taken place. “Oh, ho!” said he; “the Jacobins must be informed of this. Quick!—let us run to the club!” About fifty members awaited the news with impatience. They had, as yet, heard nothing. I was the first messenger of the mournful intelligence. They said that M. Robespierre must at once be informed, and a messenger was despatched to the Assembly to fetch him. The Jacobins knew one fact, and that was, that all the blame would be left on their shoulders. It was they who had taken the initiative in the affair of the petition. The Constitutionals, who had separated from them, in order to form the new clubs Feuillants, washed their hands of this popular movement in opposition to the decree of the Assembly. They thanked M. Duplay and myself, and refused to recognise any petition tending to the dethronement of the King. Everything was circulated in the name of the Assembly, and the society swore anew fidelity to the Constitution and submission to the decrees of the Assembly. After what had presented itself to my view the preceding days, and after what I had written at the dictation of Citizen Brissot, I found this submission too prompt. There was at the bottom of it all an abandonment of the rights of the people, and a cowardice which disgusted me. I left the club, and returned pensively to the house. A half an hour or so after, might be heard a great disturbance towards the Place Louis XV. It was the paid guard, who were re-entering Paris by the Rue St. Honoré, to have an occasion to make a demonstration against the Jacobins. One had hardly the time to form palisades.