M. Paillet, the well-known barrister, who belonged to the “Third Estate,” used to say, “I passed the night on a Bonapartist straw mattress, wrapped in a burnouse of the Mountain, my feet in a Democratic and Socialist sheepskin, and my head in a Legitimist cotton nightcap.”  The Representatives, although prisoners in the barracks, could stroll about freely.  They were allowed to go down into the courtyard.  M. Cordier (of Calvados) came upstairs again, saying, “I have just spoken to the soldiers.  They did not know that their generals had been arrested.  They appeared surprised and discontented.”  This incident raised the prisoners’ hopes.

Representative Michel Renaud of the Basses-Pyrenees, found several of his compatriots of the Basque country amongst the Chasseurs de Vincennes who occupied the courtyard.  Some had voted for him, and reminded him of the fact.  They added, “Ah!  We would again vote for the ‘Red’ list.”  One of them, quite a young man, took him aside, and said to him.  “Do you want any money, sir?  I have a forty-sous piece in my pocket.”

Towards ten o’clock in the evening a great hubbub arose in the courtyard.  The doors and the barred gate turned noisily upon their hinges.  Something entered which rumbled like thunder.  They leaned out of window, and saw at the foot of the steps a sort of big, oblong chest, painted black, yellow, red, and green, on four wheels, drawn by post-horses, and surrounded by men in long overcoats, and with fierce-looking faces, holding torches.  In the gloom, and with the help of imagination, this vehicle appeared completely black.  A door could be seen, but no other opening.  It resembled a great coffin on wheels.  “What is that?  Is it a hearse?” “No, it is a police-van.”  “And those people, are they undertakers?” “No, they are jailers.”  “And for whom has this come?”

“For you, gentlemen!” cried out a voice.

It was the voice of an officer; and the vehicle which had just entered was in truth a police-van.

At the same time a word of command was heard:  “First squadron to horse.”  And five minutes afterwards the Lancers who were to escort the vehicle formed in line in the courtyard.

Then arose in the barracks the buzz of a hive of angry bees.  The Representatives ran up and down the stairs, and went to look at the police-van close at hand.  Some of them touched it, and could not believe their eyes.  M. Piscatory met M. Chambolle, and cried out to him, “I am leaving in it!” M. Berryer met Eugene Sue, and they exchanged these words:  “Where are you going?” “To Mount Valerien.  And you?” “I do not know.”