Alfred de Rosann — page 182: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ALFRED DE ROSANN, “173 tempting treasure,—not a glance betokened an evil de- sign—not a gesture threatened its security.* Poverty was forgotten—hunger was disregarded during those eventful days. The French fought for liberty and not for gain,—they did not make the principles of a glorious insurrection an excuse for pillage and licen- tiousness. Paris was crowded with dead bodies—but they all fell in the cause of valour, whichever banner they had fought under. No robbery, no rape, no misdemeanor of any kind sullied that revolution, nor did it prepare a throne for a Robespierre and a Na-. poleon. | It was a glorious sight to see heroes fighting in a righteous cause. Paris had awakened from a profound stupor—the people were wearied of languishing be- neath a tyrant’s rod—the watchword had -been passed round—and thousands came forward to hoist the tri- coloured flag. There was but little indecision after the appearance of that royal mandate, which threat- ened to reduce a mighty nation to the lowest abyss of slavery. The flame of the revolution broke out in two or three places at the same time; and De Rosann was one of those who comprehended the reason of so sudden and simultaneous an insurrection. Seventy- two short hours would not have sufficed to cast off chains artfully woven, and craftily thrown round a million of men, had not preparations and resolutions how to act been primarily thought of and planned. Hundreds of strangers were in the ranks of the in- surgents; inhabitants of distant towns were on. the spot to aid the popular cause; and the visage of many a notorious character was recognised by the police in the heat of the battle. The refuse of society—-the lowest of the low—the escaped criminal, the unde- tected malefactor, the lurking thief, the daring adven- turer, and the insolent beggar, all forgot their separate avocations, and joined in the general shout of “ Li- berty! Liberty !”’ * Fact: me ipso teste. —G. W. M. R. 15= (Eo) NOYKOLS = a (C@)