down　on　his　left　shoulder；　at　the　same　instant　a　pane　was　broken　into
  splinters；　and　the　head　of　a　hatchet　struck　his　right　shoulder。
  M。　de　Saint…Chamans；　who　had　followed　him　into　the　room；　had　seen　the
  weapon　thrown　at　Moulin's　head；　and　not　being　able　to　turn　aside　the
  iron；　had　turned　aside　the　object　at　which　it　was　aimed。　　Moulin
  seized　the　hatchet　by　the　handle　and　tore　it　out　of　the　hands　of　him
  who　had　delivered　the　blow；　which　fortunately　had　missed　its　aim。　　He
  then　finished　closing　the　window；　and　secured　it　by　making　fast　the
  inside　shutters；　and　went　upstairs　to　see　after　the　marshal。
  Him　he　found　striding　up　and　down　his　room；　his　handsome　and　noble
  face　as　calm　as　if　the　voices　of　all　those　shouting　men　outside　were
  not　demanding　his　death。　　Moulin　made　him　leave　No。　1　for　No。　3；
  which；　being　a　back　room　and　looking　out　on　the　courtyard；　seemed　to
  offer　more　chances　of　safety　than　the　other。　　The　marshal　asked　for
  writing　materials；　which　Moulin　brought；　whereupon　the　marshal　sat
  down　at　a　little　table　and　began　to　write。
  Just　then　the　cries　outside　became　still　more　uproarious。　　M。　de
  Saint…Chamans　had　gone　out　and　ordered　the　crowd　to　disperse；
  whereupon　a　thousand　people　had　answered　him　with　one　voice；　asking
  who　he　was　that　he　should　give　such　an　order。　　He　announced　his　rank
  and　authority；　to　which　the　answer　was；　〃We　only　know　the　prefect　by
  his　clothes。〃　　Now　it　had　unfortunately　happened　that　M。　de　Chamans
  having　sent　his　trunks　by　diligence　they　had　not　yet　arrived；　and
  being　dressed　in　a　green　coat；　nankeen　trousers；　and　a　pique　vest；　it
  could　hardly　be　expected　that　in　such　a　suit　he　should　overawe　the
  people　under　the　circumstances；　so；　when　he　got　up　on　a　bench　to
  harangue　the　populace；　cries　arose　of　〃Down　with　the　green　coat！　　We
  have　enough　of　charlatans　like　that！〃　and　he　was　forced　to　get　down
  again。　　As　Vernet　opened　the　door　to　let　him　in；　several　men　took
  advantage　of　the　circumstance　to　push　in　along　with　him；　but　Vernet
  let　his　fist　fall　three　times；　and　three　men　rolled　at　his　feet　like
  bulls　struck　by　a　club。　　The　others　withdrew。　　A　dozen　champions　such
  as　Vernet　would　have　saved　the　marshal。　　Yet　it　must　not　be　forgotten
  that　this　man　was　a　Royalist；　and　held　the　same　opinions　as　those
  against　whom　he　fought；　for　him　as　for　them　the　marshal　was　a　mortal
  enemy；　but　he　had　a　noble　heart；　and　if　the　marshal　were　guilty　he
  desired　a　trial　and　not　a　murder。　　Meantime　a　certain　onlooker　had
  heard　what　had　been　said　to　M。　de　Chamans　about　his　unofficial
  costume；　and　had　gone　to　put　on　his　uniform。　　This　was　M。　de　Puy；　a
  handsome　and　venerable　old　man；　with　white　hair；　pleasant　expression；
  and　winning　voice。　　He　soon　came　back　in　his　mayor's　robes；　wearing
  his　scarf　and　his　double　cross　of　St。　Louis　and　the　Legion　of　Honour。
  But　neither　his　age　nor　his　dignity　made　the　slightest　impression　on
  these　people；　they　did　not　even　allow　him　to　get　back　to　the　hotel
  door；　but　knocked　him　down　and　trampled　him　under　foot；　so　that　he
  hardly　escaped　with　torn　clothes　and　his　white　hair　covered　with　dust
  and　blood。　　The　fury　of　the　mob　had　now　reached　its　height。
  At　this　juncture　the　garrison　of　Avignon　came　in　sight；　it　was
  composed　of　four　hundred　volunteers；　who　formed　a　battalion　known　as
  the　Royal　Angouleme。　　It　was　commanded　by　a　man　who　had　assumed　the
  title　of　Lieutenant…General　of　the　Emancipating　Army　of　Vaucluse。
  These　forces　drew　up　under　the　windows　of　the　〃Palais　Royal。〃　　They
  were　composed　almost　entirely　of　Provenceaux；　and　spoke　the　same
  dialect　as　the　people　of　the　lower　orders。　　The　crowd　asked　the
  soldiers　for　what　they　had　come；　why　they　did　not　leave　them　to
  accomplish　an　act　of　justice　in　peace；　and　if　they　intended　to
  interfere。　　〃Quite　the　contrary；〃　said　one　of　the　soldiers；　〃pitch
  him　out　of　the　window；　and　we　will　catch　him　on　the　points　of　our
  bayonets。〃　　Brutal　cries　of　joy　greeted　this　answer；　succeeded　by　a
  short　silence；　but　it　was　easy　to　see　that　under　the　apparent　calm
  the　crowd　was　in　a　state　of　eager　expectation。　　Soon　new　shouts　were
  heard；　but　this　time　from　the　interior　of　the　hotel；　a　small　band　of
  men　led　by　Forges　and　Roquefort　had　separated　themselves　from　the
  throng；　and　by　the　help　of　ladders　had　scaled　the　walls　and　got　on
  the　roof　of　the　house；　and；　gliding　down　the　other　side；　had　dropped
  into　the　balcony　outside　the　windows　of　the　rooms　where　the　marshal
  was　writing。
  Some　of　these　dashed　through　the　windows　without　waiting　to　open
  them；　others　rushed　in　at　the　open　door。　　The　marshal；　thus　taken　by
  surprise；　rose；　and　not　wishing　that　the　letter　he　was　writing　to　the
  Austrian　commandant　to　claim　his　protection　should　fall　into　the
  hands　of　these　wretches；　he　tore　it　to　pieces。　　Then　a　man　who
  belonged　to　a　better　class　than　the　others；　and　who　wears　to…day　the
  Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　granted　to　him　perhaps　for　his　conduct
  on　this　occasion；　advanced　towards　the　marshal；　sword　in　hand；　and
  told　him　if　he　had　any　last　arrangements　to　make；　he　should　make　them
  at　once；　for　he　had　only　ten　minutes　to　live。
  〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　exclaimed　Forges。　　〃Ten　minutes！　　Did　he
  give　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　ten　minutes？〃　and　he　pointed　his
  pistol　at　the　marshal's　breast；　but　the　marshal　striking　up　the
  weapon；　the　shot　missed　its　aim　and　buried　itself　in　the　ceiling。
  〃Clumsy　fellow！〃　said　the　marshal；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃not　to
  be　able　to　kill　a　man　at　such　close　range。〃
  〃That's　true；〃　replied　Roquefort　in　his　patois。　　〃I'll　show　you　how
  to　do　it〃；　and；　receding　a　step；　he　took　aim　with　his　carbine　at　his
  victim；　whose　back　was　partly　towards　him。　　A　report　was　heard；　and
  the　marshal　fell　dead　on　the　spot；　the　bullet　which　entered　at　the
  shoulder　going　right　through　his　body　and　striking　the　opposite　wall。
  The　two　shots；　which　had　been　heard　in　the　street；　made　the　howling
  mob　dance　for　joy。　　One　cowardly　fellow；　called　Cadillan；　rushed　out
  on　one　of　the　balconies　which　looked　on　the　square；　and；　holding　a
  loaded　pistol　in　each　hand；　which　he　had　not　dared　to　discharge　even
  into　the　dead　body　of　the　murdered　man；　he　cut　a　caper；　and；　holding
  up　the　innocent　weapons；　called　out；　〃These　have　done　the　business！〃
  But　he　lied；　the　braggart；　and　boasted　of　a　crime　which　was　committed
  by　braver　cutthroats　than　he。
  Behind　him　came　the　general　of　the　〃Emancipating　Army　of　Vaucluse；〃
  who；　graciously　saluting　the　crowd；　said；　〃The　marshal　has　carried
  out　an　act　of　justice　by　taking　his　own　life。〃　　Shouts　of　mingled
  joy；　revenge；　and　hatred　rose　from　the　crowd；　and　the　king's　attorney
  and　the　examining　magistrate　set　about　drawing　up　a　report　of　the
  suicide。
  Now　that　all　was　over　and　there　was　no　longer　any　question　of　saving
  the　marshal；　M。　Moulin　desired　at　least　to　save　the　valuables　which
  he　had　in　his　carriage。　　He　found　in　a　cash　box　40；000　francs；　in　the
  pockets　a　snuff…box　set　with　diamonds；　and　a　pair　of　pistols　and　two
  swords；　the　hilt　of　one　of　these　latter　was　studded　with　precious
  stones；　a　gift　from　the　ill…starred　Selim。　　M。　Moulin　returned　across
  the　court；　carrying　these　things。　　The　Damascus　blade　was　wrenched
  from　his　hands；　and　the　robber　kept　it　five　years　as　a　trophy；　and　it
  was　not　until　the　year　1820　that　he　was　forced　to　give　it　up　to　the
  representative　of　the　marshal's　widow。　　Yet　this　man　was　an　officer；
  and　kept　his　rank　all　through　the　Restoration；　and　was　not　dismissed
  the　army　till　1830。　　When　M。　Moulin　had　placed　the　other　objects　in
  safety；　he　requested　the　magistrate　to　have　the　corpse　removed；　as　he
  wished　the　crowds　to　disperse；　that　he　might　look　after　the　aides…de
  camp。　　While　they　were　undressing　the　marshal；　in　order　to　certify
  the　cause　of　death；　a　leathern　belt　was　found　on　him　containing　5536
  francs。　　The　body　was　carried　downstairs　by　the　grave…diggers　without
  any　opposition　being　offered；　but　hardly　had　they　advanced　ten　yards
  into　the　square　when　shouts　of　〃To　the　Rhone！　to　the　Rhone！〃
  resounded　on　all　sides。　　A　police　officer　who　tried　to　interfere　was
  knocked　down；　the　bearers　were　ordered　to　turn　round；　they　obeyed；
  and　the　crowd　carried　them　off　towards　the　wooden　bridge。　　When　the
  fourteenth　arch　was　reached；　the　bier　was　torn　from　the　bearers'
  hands；　and　the　corpse　was　flung　into　the　river。　　〃Military　honours！〃
  shouted　some　one；　and　all　who　had　guns　fired　at　the　dead　body；　which
  was　twice　struck。　　〃Tomb　of　Marshal　Brune〃　was　then　written　on　the
  arch；　and　the　crowd　withdrew；　and　passed　the　rest　of　the　day　in
  holiday…making。
  Meanwhile　the　Rhone；　refusing　to　be　an　accomplice　in　such　a　crime；
  bore　away　the　corpse；　which　the　assassins　believed　had　been　swallowed
  up　for　ever。　　Next　day　it　was　found　on　the　sandy　shore　at　Tarascon；
  but　the　news　of　the　murder　had　preceded　it；　and　it　was　recognised　by
  the　wounds；　and　pushed　back　again　into　the　waters；　which　bore　it
  towards　the　sea。
  Three　leagues　farther　on　it　stopped　again；　this　time　by　a　grassy
  bank；　and　was　found　by　a　man　of　forty　and　another　of　eighteen。　　They
  also　recognised　it；　but　instead　of　shoving　it　back　into　the　current；
  they　drew　it　up　gently　on　the　bank　and　carried　it　to　a　small　property
  belonging　to　one　of