I go in search of Oudard--The house at the corner of the rue de Rohan--Oudard is with Laffitte--Degousée--General Pajol and M. Dupin--The officers of the 53rd Regiment--Interior of Laffitte's salon--Panic--A deputation comes to offer La Fayette the command of Paris--He accepts--Étienne Arago and the tricoloured cockade--History of the Hôtel de Ville from eight in the morning to half-past three in the afternoon CHAPTER II General La Fayette at the Hôtel de Ville--Charras and his men--"The Prunes of Monsieur"--The Municipal Commission--Its first Act--Casimir Périer's bank--General Gérard--The Duc de Choiseul--What happened at Saint-Cloud--The three negotiators--It is too late--M. d'Argout with Laffitte CHAPTER III Alexander de la Borde--Odilon Barrot--Colonel Dumoulin--Hippolyte Bonnelier--My study--A note in Oudard's handwriting--The Duc de Chartres is arrested at Montrouge--The danger he incurred and how he was saved--I propose to go to Soissons to fetch gunpowder--I procure my commission from General Gérard--La Fayette draws up a proclamation for me--The painter bard--M. Thiers to the fore once more CHAPTER IV Gee up, Polignac!--André Marchais--Post-master at Bourget--I display the Tricolour on my carriage--Bard joins me--M. Cunin-Gridaine--Old Levasseur--Struggle with him--I blow out his brains!--Two old acquaintances--The terror of Jean-Louis--Our halt at Villers-Cotterets--Hutin--Supper with Paillet CHAPTER V Arrival at Soissons--Strategic preparations--Reconnaissance round the magazine--Hutin and Bard plant the tricolour flag upon the cathedral--I climb the wall of the powder magazine--Captain Mollard--Sergeant Ragon--Lieutenant-Colonel d'Orcourt--Parleys with them--They promise me neutrality CHAPTER VI How matters had proceeded with the sacristan--The four-inch gun--Bard as gunner--The commander of the fort--Lieutenant Tinga--M. de Lenferna--M. Bonvilliers--Madame de Linières--The revolt of the negroes--The conditions upon which the commander of the fort signed the order--M. Moreau--M. Quinette--The Mayor of Soissons--Bard and the green plums CHAPTER VII The Mayor of Soissons--The excise-office powder--M. Jousselin-- The hatchet belonging to the warehouse-keeper--M. Quinette--I break open the door of the powder magazine--Triumphant exit from Soissons--M. Mennesson attempts to have me arrested--The Guards of the Duc d'Orléans--M. Boyer--Return to Paris--"Those devils of Republicans!" CHAPTER VIII First Orléanist proclamation--MM. Thiers and Scheffer go to Neuilly--The evening at Saint-Cloud--Charles X. revokes the Ordinances--Republican deputation at the Hôtel de Ville--M. de Sussy--Audry de Puyraveau--Republican proclamation--La Fayette's reply to the Duc de Mortemart--Charras and Mauguin