ever-increasing noise of the battle; and, over all, the brightness of a dazzling morning sun—­all this has something sinister and yet horribly captivating about it.  While we are at work, they talk; I listen.  The Versaillais have been coming in all night.[99] The Porte de la Muette and the Porte Dauphine have been surrendered by the 13th and the 113th battalions of the first arrondissement.  “Those two numbers 13 will bring them ill-luck,” says a woman.  Vinoy is established at the Trocadero, and Douai at the Point du Jour:  they continue to advance.  The Champ de Mars has been taken from the Federals after two hours’ fighting.  A battery is erected at the Arc de Triomphe, which sweeps the Champs Elysees and bombards the Tuileries.  A shell has fallen in the Rue du Marche Saint Honore.  In the Cours-la-Reine the 188th battalion stood bravely.  The Tuileries is armed with guns, and shells the Arc de Triomphe.  In the Avenue de Marigny the gendarmes have shot twelve Federals who had surrendered; their bodies are still lying on the pavement in front of the tobacconist’s.  Rue de Sevres, the Vengeurs de Flourens have put to flight a whole regiment of the line:  the Vengeurs have sworn to resist to a man.  They are fighting in the Champs Elysees, around the Ministere de la Guerre, and on the Boulevard Haussman.  Dombrowski has been killed at the Chateau de la Muette.  The Versaillais have attacked the Western Saint Lazare station, and are marching towards the Pepiniere barracks.  “We have been sold, betrayed, and surprised; but what does it matter, we will triumph.  We want no more chiefs or generals; behind the barricades every man is a marshal!”

[Illustration:  Place de la Concorde]

[Illustration:  Poor Pradier’s Statues.  Lille suffers from her friends in fight—­whilst Strasbourg—­in crape—­mourns the foe of France.]

[Illustration]

Eight or ten men come flying down the Chaussee d’Antin; they join, crying out, “The Versaillais have taken the barracks; they are establishing a battery.  Delescluze has been captured at the Ministere de la Guerre.”—­“It is false!” exclaims a vivandiere; “we have just seen him at the Hotel de Ville.”—­“Yes, yes,” cry out other women, “he is at the Hotel de Ville.  He gave us a mitrailleuse.  Jules Valles embraced us, one after another; he is a fine man, he is!  He told us all was going well, that the Versaillais should never have Paris, that we shall surround them, and that it will all be over in two days.”—­“Vive la Commune!” is the reply.  The barricade is by this time finished.  They expect to be attacked every second.  “You,” said a sergeant, “you had better be off, if you care for your life.”  I do not wait for the man to repeat his warning.  I retrace my steps up the Boulevard, which is less solitary than it was.  Several groups are standing at the doors.  It appears quite certain that the troops of the Assembly have been pretty successful since they came in.