What stopped the people was, that those who cried "_Vive Colbert!_" began to cry, at the same time, "No halter! no halter! to the fire! to the fire! burn the thieves! burn the extortioners!" This cry, shouted with an _ensemble_, obtained enthusiastic success.

The populace had come to witness an execution, and here was an opportunity offered them of performing one themselves.

It was this that must be most agreeable to the populace: therefore, they ranged themselves immediately on the party of the aggressors against the archers, crying with the minority, which had become, thanks to them, the most compact majority: "Yes, yes: to the fire with the thieves! _Vive Colbert!_" "_Mordioux!_" exclaimed D'Artagnan, "this begins to look serious." One of the men who remained near the chimney approached the window, a firebrand in his hand.

"Ah, ah!" said he, "it gets warm." Then, turning to his companion: "There is the signal," added he; and he immediately applied the burning brand to the wainscoting.

Now, this _cabaret_ of the Image-de-Notre-Dame was not a very newly built house, and therefore, did not require much entreating to take fire.