"Mates," said the popular leader, having read, and slapping the bearer on the shoulder, "this is a brother, whom Marat recommends. So you may rely on him. What is your name, _Pal_?"
"My name is _Ax_--do you see? between us I hope we shall cut something!"
"Ay, somebody will get cut!" was the cry, "How are we to set about it?"
"We are going right into there," answered Gonchon, pointing to the building.
"That is the right kind of talk," said the farmer; "How many have you, Gonchon?"
"Thirty thousand of yours, and twenty coming from the Soldiers' Hospital, ten thousand here; more than enough to succeed if we are to succeed."
"I believe you. Get your men in hand while I go in and summon the governor to surrender. If he should, so much the better as it will spare bloodshed; if not, the blood will fall on his head and it is bad luck these times. Ask those German dragoons who hewed down the inoffensive."
"How long will you be engaged with the governor?"
"As long as I can make it, so as to have the castle invested thoroughly; if possible, the moment I come out, begin the onset."
"You don't distrust me?" said the countryman, holding out his hand to the city ragamuffin.
"I, distrust you?" replied the other, shaking with his emaciated hand the plump one of the farmer with a vigor he had not expected; "Wherefore? With a word or a sign, I could have you ground into dust though you were sheltered by yon towers, which to-morrow will exist not. Were you protected by those soldiers, who will be our dead-meat or we shall be theirs! Go ahead and rely on Gonchon as he does on Billet!"
Convinced, the farmer walked towards the Bastile gateway, while his new comrade proceeded towards the dwellings, under cheers for "The People's Mirabeau!"
"I never saw the other Mirabeau," thought Pitou, "but ours is not handsome."
Towards the city, the Bastile presented two twin towers, while its two sides faced where the canal runs to-day. The entrance was defended by an outpost house, two lines of sentinels and two draw-bridges over moats.
After getting over these obstacles, one reached the Government Yard, where the governor's residence was.
Hence a corridor led to the ditches: another entrance also leading to the ditches, had a drawbridge, a guardhouse, and an iron grating as portcullis.