"As M. Arago came out, he met Savary and Alexandre Dumas in the courtyard, a savant and a poet, both very excited; they had no sooner learnt what had passed at M. Laffitte's, than they broke into passionate and bitter speech, saying that Paris had only waited for one signal to rise in revolt, and that the deputies who were so ready to disclaim the efforts of the people were grossly culpable towards their country. "'But is not everything at an end now?' asked François Arago. "'No,' said a man of the people who was present, listening to our conversation, 'they are waiting for the tocsin from the Church of Saint-Merry, _for so long as a sick man's death rattle can be heard he is alive._' "I was struck with the expression and, as will be seen, I did not forget it." [Footnote 1: Louis Blanc, _Histoire de Dix Ans._] [Footnote 2: Noël Parfait, _Episodes des_ 5 _and 6 June_ 1832.] CHAPTER VII Inside the barricade Saint-Merry, according to a Parisian child's account--General Tiburce Sébastiani--Louis-Philippe during the insurrection--M. Guizot--MM. François Arago, Laffitte and Odilon Barrot at the Tuileries--The last argument of kings--Étienne Arago and Howelt--Denunciation against me--M. Binet's report Whilst MM. Laffitte, François Arago and Odilon Barrot were on their way to see the king, let us see what was going on behind the Saint-Merry barricade. One of those strokes of good luck which at times happens to us enables us to take the reader behind the scenes. A child of fourteen who was there, and who has since become a very distinguished man, sent me the following details three years after the cessation of the insurrection, written in his own hand, which I will reproduce in all its native simplicity. After a lapse of nineteen years I have discovered the paper creased and the ink turned yellow, but the story exact and faithful. "THE BARRICADE SAINT-MERRY