She coaxed and petted her cousins and kept them occupied until the very moment when the populace surrounded the Cinq-Cygne mansion.

The two brothers then knew their danger for the first time, and looked at each other.

Their resolution was instantly taken; they armed their own servants and those of the Comtesse de Cinq-Cygne, barricaded the doors, and stood guard at the windows, after closing the wooden blinds, with the five men-servants and the Abbe d'Hauteserre, a relative of the Cinq-Cygnes.

These eight courageous champions poured a deadly fire into the crowd.

Every shot killed or wounded an assailant.