Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/487

 who, in turn, gave no quarter. An insurgent general, dressed in civilian's clothes, was made prisoner and about to be shot, when he offered 1,000 francs to any man who would save him. He was answered by a laugh, and fell dead at the feet of his executioners.

In one of the houses in which a young officer entered to make a perquisition, he was met at the door by a woman, who, throwing herself at his feet, and winding her arms around him, cried, at the same time drawing him within the entrance:

"My son is in the house, but he was forced to fight; do not kill him!"

"Bring him down; we will see," replied the officer.

The woman hastily mounted the stairs, and the young man, making a sign to his men, was about to follow, when he felt a terrible pain, and saw himself surrounded by flames.

While one woman had occupied him in conversation, another, hidden in the alley, had thrown petroleum upon his uniform, and set it on fire. The men threw themselves upon their officer, and tore off his clothes as quickly as possible; but two hours later he succumbed to the horrible burns which he had received.

On Saturday morning (27th), about eight hundred insurgents occupied the Place de la Fête. All the bandits of the Commune, the desperadoes, had come, hunted on every side, to seek here a last refuge, most of them to find death; a certain number had their heads surmounted by the red liberty cap.

In the morning, a young boy who wished to pass, and who was furnished with a safe-conduct perfectly in order, fell into the hands of these madmen, and was with difficulty rescued by their colonel, Du Bisson.

The formidable bombardment directed by Montmartre against Belleville had driven the insurgents almost mad.