Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/40

 but were made prisoners and carried off. The soldiers then fraternized with the new comers, and seizing two mitrailleuses, were joined by a portion of the 87th of the line, to whom the pieces had been confided. The officers then, in consequence of the wavering of the troops who had up to this time remained faithful, or in consequence of the menacing appearance of a large and compact body of insurgents from Belleville, issued the order to retire, and thus permitted the new comers to occupy the place without firing another shot. At the same time the artillerymen at the corner of the streets removed their pieces rapidly towards the Place de Clichy. This retrograde movement began between eight and nine o'clock; and the calm and sensible citizens of this quarter had commenced to congratulate themselves that the horrors of the morning had subsided, when from the Place Pigalle a mitrailleuse was heard belching out wounds and death. Belleville representatives were firing on troops of the line who refused to fraternize. A panic now seized the crowd, and the masses fled in every direction.