Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/511

 The order to set the building on fire was sent on Tuesday, and would probably have been executed during the following night, notwithstanding the efforts of the director and of seven or eight devoted attendants whom he had kept with him, when, obeying an idea whose motive is easily imagined, but which had the happiest results, Debock, director of the Imprimerie Nationale, and Alavoine, his associate, came to the director and delivered him the following precious document:

"COMMUNE OF PARIS.

"Ministry of Justice, "National Printing-Office, "Cabinet of the Director.

", May 24, 1871.

"This evening, at six o'clock, an order was given to the Citizens Debock (Louis-Guillaume) and Alavoine (André) to prevent, by every means in their power, any attempt which might be made to burn the National Archives.

"This order was solicited by those citizens.

", "Director of the National Printing-Office.

", "The Delegate."

"P.S.—It should be remembered that any disobedience to the orders of the Commune, or of the Committee of Public Safety, is instantly followed by capital punishment."

The archives were saved.

We have already mentioned the almost miraculous escape of the Bank of France from the danger which surrounded it, owing to the heroic resistance of a body of National Guards, who remained day and night on watch