Better still, the tribunal of the Police Correctionnelle, before which the accused had been sent, for want of power to hand them over to the Court of Assizes, decided that their conduct had not been more than imprudent; in consequence of which decision Bastide was liberated, and returned to Paris. Not one witness had desired to recognise him, not even the fireman who had dealt him a blow in the chest with his bayonet, and from whom Bastide had snatched his gun. But the Government could not be wrong, and the 35th returned to the town, drums beating, bands playing, slow matches ready. Only one protest was made, which will illustrate the French mind. An approaching workman, who did not know for what deadly object this match was intended, remarked to the gunner-- "My friend, please let me have a light for my pipe." [Footnote 1: See Appendix.] CHAPTER II General Dermoncourt's papers--Protest of Charles X. against the usurpation of the Duc d'Orléans--The stoutest of political men--Attempt at restoration planned by Madame la duchesse de Berry--The _Carlo-Alberto_--How I write authentic notes--Landing of Madame near La Ciotat--Legitimist affray at Marseilles--Madame set out for La Vendée--M. de Bonnechose--M. de Villeneuve--M. de Lorges Now that we have seen what was happening in the east of France, let us see what was happening in the west. In order properly to estimate the fire which was about to set Paris aflame, we must cast a glance on that which was devouring the provinces. Having followed the attempts of the Republican party in the départements of the Rhone and of Isère, let us follow those of the Legitimist party in the départements of La Loire-Inférieure Morbihan and la Vendée. Further, we can guarantee the exact accuracy of the incidents we are about to give: they are taken from the papers of General Dermoncourt, my father's aide-de-camp, of whom I have often had occasion to speak; and amongst those papers were a large number of notes sent by the Duchesse de Berry herself, which had been used in the second edition of the book, _La Vendée et Madame,_ published by General Dermoncourt in 1834. It will not have been forgotten that, by a strange coincidence of circumstances, it was this General Dermoncourt and the same M. Maurice Duval with whom we have just been concerned in connection with the troubles at Grenoble, who, the one being commandant of the military force, the other representing the regal authority, took Madame la duchesse de Berry in her hiding-place at Nantes.