Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/186

 Idle curiosity-seekers were much disappointed at not being allowed to pass through the Maillot gate. Some who approached too near were compelled to fill sand-bags, and assist the insurgents in repairing the fortification, which they continued to do during the whole day. Notwithstanding this their journals on the following morning were loud in their complaints against the Versailles troops for doing the same.

The armistice was under the surveillance of four members of the Republican League. Two were delegated by the insurgents and two by the army of Versailles. The first were M. Bonvalet, ex-mayor of the third arrondissement, and M. Stupuy, homme de lettres; the second were M. Adam and M. Loiseau-Pinson, both former members of the municipality. Their mission was to denounce any movement of troops breaking the essential conditions of the armistice.

The inhabitants of Neuilly, who consisted mostly of women and children, timidly ventured into the outer world, anxiously inquiring if an armistice had really commenced. Most of them knew nothing of what had taken place, not having seen daylight for three weeks, and only venturing out in the night to procure some bread and wine; all were suffering from a fearful state of mental excitement. One day the insurgents were in possession of the houses over their heads, the next day the Versailles troops. Nearly all the ruins were filled with dead insurgent troops, more or less in a state of decomposition; most of them had received bullet-shots through the head, killed in the act of firing over barricades or through loop-*holes.

The feeling of the troops was one of great irritation against the Parisians.

Scarcely a house in the Grand Armée had escaped, those nearest the ramparts being all in ruins. Beyond