And, making a sign of farewell, he disappeared as fast as he could. Where was he off to? I did not know until three days later: he went to Neuilly to carry this short ultimatum to the Duc d'Orléans:-- "Choose between a crown and a passport!" The ultimatum was drawn up by M. Laffitte. I had flattered myself with vain hope in believing I should be able to enter Laffitte's house: courts, gardens, antechambers, drawing-rooms were all crammed; there were even curious spectators on the roofs of the houses opposite that looked down over the Hôtel courtyard. But it must be said that the men gathered together there were not all in a state of enthusiasm and appreciative of the situation. Certain stories of what was passing inside filtered through to the crowd outside, at which they grumbled loudly as they listened. One story will give an idea of the cautious prudence of the deputies assembled at Laffitte's house. When Degousée had, that morning, seen the Hôtel de Ville fall into the hands of the people, he left Baude installed there and rushed off to General Pajol to offer him the command of the National Guard. But General Pajol replied that he could not take any such decided steps without the authorisation of the deputies. "Then where the devil are there any deputies?" asked Degousée. "Look for them at M. de Choiseul's," General Pajol replied. So Degousée went there. M. de Choiseul was at his wits' end: he had just learnt that he had been made a member of the Provisional Government the night before, and that, during the night, he had signed a seditious proclamation. M. Dupin, senior, was with the duke, doubtless having a consultation upon this unexpected bit of French legislation. The idea proposed by Degousée of reorganising a corps that could not fail to become a Conservative power delighted M. Dupin immensely. He took a pen and wrote these words:-- "The deputies assembled in Paris authorise General Pajol to take the command of the _Parisian Militia._" "_The Parisian Militia!_" Degousée repeated. "Why do you call them by that name?" "Because the National Guard has been legally dissolved by the Ordinance of King Charles X.," was M. Dupin's reply. "Come, come," Degousée went on to say, "don't let us quibble over terms. Sign this quickly and kindly tell me where I shall find your _deputies assembled in Paris._" "At the house of M. Laffitte," M. Dupin replied. And he signed the authorisation without making any further difficulties.