Page:Ernest Belfort Bax - A Short History of the Paris Commune (1895).djvu/85

 Rh Versaillese were absolutely indifferent to the fate of these precious hostages, respecting whose death the "civilised world" (read dominant class-interest) raised so hideous a catawauling, but that some of them rather wished such a consummation than otherwise. Thus Barthelemy St. Hilaire, Thiers' secretary, when their danger was pointed out to him, cynically replied, "We can do nothing! So much the worse for them!"

Thiers deliberately rejected an offer to exchange five of the hostages, including the sainted Archbishop, for the single person of Blanqui! This was refused, partly, perhaps, at the instigation of the Ultramontane Catholics, who were strong in the Assembly, and to whom Darboy, who was a Galilean, i.e., who favoured an independent attitude of the French clergy towards the papal pretensions, was by no means a persona grata. By his death they would kill two birds with one stone; get a Christian martyr on the cheap, and probably obtain for one of their own men the wealthy diocese of Paris. The negociation was conducted on the side of the hostages by a fellow named Lagarde, the Vicar-General of Darboy. This perjured poltroon and worthless wretch, after having given his parole d'honneur, swearing by all he professed to hold sacred, that he would return "even though it were to be shot," when he found the negociations fall through, caring only for his own safety, resolved to leave his colleagues to their fate. He refused to come back. Darboy himself, when apprised of the resolution of his Vicar-General refused to believe it. "It is impossible," said he, "M. Lagarde has sworn to me himself that he would return without fail." The prayers and entreaties of the old prelate were of no avail, Lagarde persisted in his refusal. That at the very last the Versaillese thought the