Attracted by the struggle and the cries of those around, the police rushed towards the prince, who furiously resisted them.  He stretched three of them gasping at his feet and put seven others to flight, with, respectively, a broken jaw, a split lip, a nose pouring blood, a fractured skull, a torn ear, a dislocated collar-bone, and broken ribs.  He fell, however, and was dragged bleeding and disfigured, with his clothes in rags, to the nearest police-station, where, jumping about and bellowing, he spent the night.

At daybreak groups of demonstrators went about the town singing, “It is Chatillon we want,” and breaking the windows of the houses in which the Ministers of the Republic lived.

VI.  THE EMIRAL’S FALL

That night marked the culmination of the Dracophil movement.  The Royalists had no longer any doubt of its triumph.  Their chiefs sent congratulations to Prince Crucho by wireless telegraphy.  Their ladies embroidered scarves and slippers for him.  M. de Plume had found the green horse.

The pious Agaric shared the common hope.  But he still worked to win partisans for the Pretender.  They ought, he said, to lay their foundations upon the bed-rock.

With this design he had an interview with three Trade Union workmen.

In these times the artisans no longer lived, as in the days of the Draconides, under the government of corporations.  They were free, but they had no assured pay.  After having remained isolated from each other for a long time, without help and without support, they had formed themselves into unions.  The coffers of the unions were empty, as it was not the habit of the unionists to pay their subscriptions.  There were unions numbering thirty thousand members, others with a thousand, five hundred, two hundred, and so forth.  Several numbered two or three members only, or even a few less.  But as the lists of adherents were not published, it was not easy to distinguish the great unions from the small ones.

After some dark and indirect steps the pious Agaric was put into communication in a room in the Moulin de la Galette, with comrades Dagobert, Tronc, and Balafille, the secretaries of three unions of which the first numbered fourteen members, the second twenty-four, and the third only one.  Agaric showed extreme cleverness at this interview.

“Gentlemen,” said he, “you and I have not, in most respects, the same political and social views, but there are points in which we may come to an understanding.  We have a common enemy.  The government exploits you and despises us.  Help us to overthrow it; we will supply you with the means so far as we are able, and you can in addition count on our gratitude.”

“Fork out the tin,” said Dagobert.

The Reverend Father placed on the table a bag which the distiller of Conils had given him with tears in his eyes.

“Done!” said the three companions.