Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/410

 At the attack of the barricade of the Théatre Français, which was made by the Rue Montpensier, the Rue Richelieu, and the Rue Saint-Honoré, many of the National Guards refused to surrender and were immediately shot.

In the afternoon, at about three, the Palais Royal was set on fire by the insurgents. A merchant in the building, believing the fire to be an accident, hastened to offer his services, but was roughly received by a captain of the National Guard, who threatened to fire upon him if he did not immediately withdraw. He added that the quarter was to be blown up, and that everything must burn. Nevertheless, notwithstanding his menaces, two pumps were placed in action by the inhabitants of the neighborhood. It was then four o'clock. No water was to be had in the Court des Fontaines, and it was necessary to make a chain in the passage conducting to the Court of Honor.

A ladder was placed against the wall in order to reach the terrace of the Rue de Valois, but the menaces of the insurgents to fire were so precise that the attempt to save the pavilion from that side was abandoned.

The fire and smoke poured forth from three windows above the terrace No. 17, where the flames were successfully extinguished in the midst of shots fired from the barricade of the Rue de Rivoli.

At five o'clock a pump was established in the Court of Honor, and a large quantity of paintings, precious marbles, furniture, etc., was saved.

The chains were formed, but unfortunately the most difficult thing to obtain was water, the insurgents having cut all the pipes to insure the destruction of the palace. At seven o'clock several members of the Paris Fire Company arrived, but by that time pavilion No. 1 was entirely consumed.

On the arrival of the firemen, they began immediately