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THE COMMUNE IN PARIS. 203 nomy of one's neighbour, the Executive Commission had re- fused to arm the communes round Paris that asked to march against Versailles. M. Thiers took no more efficient measure to isolate Paris.

Twenty-six voices against thirteen voted the conclusions of the report. Twenty elections only were declared valid. 1 which was illogical; one with less than 1100 votes was ad- mitted, another with 2500 rejected. All the elections should have been declared valid, or none at all. Four of the new delegates were journalists, six only workmen. Eleven sent by the public meetings came to strengthen the Eomanticists. Two whose elections had been validated by the Council refused to sit because they had not obtained the eighth part of the votes. The author of the admirable Propos de Labicnus,. Eogeard, allowed himself to be deceived by a false scruple of legality the only weakness of this generous man, who de- voted to the Commune his pure and brilliant eloquence. His resignation deprived the Council of a man of common sense, but once more served to unmask the apocalyptic Felix Pyat.

Since the 1st April, scenting the coming storm and pro- fessing the same horror for blows as Panurge, Felix Pyat had attempted to leave Paris, sent in his resignation as member of the Executive Commission to the Council, and declared his presence at Versailles indispensable. The Versaillese hussars making the sortie too perilous, he had condescended to stay, but at the same time assuming two masks, one for the H6tel-de-Ville, the other for the public. In the Council, at the secret sittings, he urged violent measures with the vivacity of a wild cat; in the Vengeur he held forth pon- tifically, shaking his grey hairs, saying, "To the ballot-box,

1 Vesinier, Cluseret, Pillot, Andrieu (1st arrondissement, Louvre); Pothier, Serraillier, J. Durand, Johannard (2nd, Bourse); Courbet, Rogeard (6th, Luxembourg); Sicard (7th, Palais-Bourbon); Briosne (9th, Opera) ; Philippe, Lonclas (12th, Reuilly) ; Longuet (16th, Passy) ; Dupont (17th, Batignolles) ; Cluseret, Arnold (18th, Montmartre) ; Menotti Garibaldi (19th, Buttes-Chaumont) ; Viard, Trinquet (20th Menilmontant).