Terror even has its attractions.
"To the death! to the death!" cried fifty thousand voices.
"Yes; to the death!" howled a hundred frantic others, as if the great mass had given them the reply.
"To the halter! to the halter!" cried the great whole; "_Vive le roi!_" "Well," said D'Artagnan, "this is droll; I should have thought it was M.
Colbert who had caused them to be hung." There was, at this moment, a great rolling movement in the crowd, which stopped for a moment the march of the condemned.

The people of a bold and resolute mien, whom D'Artagnan had observed, by dint of pressing, pushing, and lifting themselves up, had succeeded in almost touching the hedge of archers.

The _cortege_ resumed its march.

All at once, to cries of "_Vive Colbert!_" those men, of whom D'Artagnan never lost sight, fell upon the escort, which in vain endeavored to stand against them.
Behind these men was the crowd.

Then commenced, amidst a frightful tumult, as frightful a confusion.