Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/320

 hands, with orders to defend the barricade which they had only helped to erect à contre-cœur. Women and children worked just as actively as the National Guards themselves, and formidable barriers were soon to be seen at the Rue de la Chausée-d'Antin, the Rue Richelieu, the Rue Drouot, and the Porte St Martin. The neighborhood of the Hotel de Ville was defended by immense constructions, and the Rues St. Denis, St. Martin, and many of the side-streets were strongly fortified. The same was the case in the neighborhood of Montmartre, and on the left bank of the river in the Faubourg St. Germain, Rues du Bac and des Saints-Pères, along the quays, and at the entrances of the different bridges.

The members of the Commune withdrew to their several arrondissements to organize the defence and to encourage their men to a desperate resistance. The unexpected and easy entrance effected by the Versaillese had at first greatly demoralized the Federal troops. The old cry, "Nous sommes trahis!" was raised, and numberless stories were told of gates which had been opened by traitors within the walls.

A few hours, however, gave the Communists time to recover themselves, and by nightfall a complete change had come over the spirit of the scene. The large number of extempore barricades which had at first sprung up too quickly to be worth much, had been made strong enough to be really formidable, and the men in charge of them seemed not only pretty cool, but even in good spirits, with little about them of the air of beaten troops whose last hope has gone.

When the members of the Commune departed for the various arrondissements, Delescluze, the Delegate of War, the Military Commission, and the Committee of Public Safety, remained at the Hotel de Ville. As to the Central Committee, no one could say what had become of the