Lezan du Pontet, Paris junior, and Boudon, accompanied by a great number of the militia, entered, demanding that the red flag should be brought out.

They tried to open the door of the council hall, and finding it locked, they called upon me for the key.

I asked that one of the attendants should be sent for, but they were all out; then I went to the hall-porter to see if he knew where the key was.

He said M.Berding had taken it.

Meanwhile, just as the volunteers were about to force an entrance, someone ran up with the key.