The Counter Revolution of June-July 107 



ance was made, the doors of the Abbey were forced and the 

 prisoners released. ^°^ Some dragoons and hussars, warned by the 

 mounted night watch, galloped to the Abbey. They were met by a 

 crowd of people with outstretched hands who cried, " Lower your 

 arms, friends." The dragoons sheathed their sabers and frater- 

 nized with the people.^"^ The prisoners, who had been released, 

 were then taken to the Palais Royal and placed under the safe- 

 guard of the people. ^°' 



In the words of M. Rouff, " The revolution was effected. The 

 royal authority could not count on the army."^"® The French 

 guards were " the hope of the assembly, an important force in the 

 hands of the people of Paris, the first troops openly giving them- 

 selves to the service of the revolution and would usefully oppose 

 the forces prepared by the king, perhaps even determining a move- 

 ment among the other troops. "^"^ On the other hand the situation 

 of the French guards in the Palais Royal could not be permanent. 

 Something must be done and done immediately. Since the 

 guards had declared themselves in favor of the third estate it was 

 only natural that the third estate should be expected to help them. 

 A deputation from the Palais Royal to the assembly was there- 

 fore agreed upon.^^° 



As Bailly started from his lodgings for the assembly hall on 

 the morning of July i, he was met by this delegation. ^^^ A 

 letter which recounted the events of the previous night and gave 



I, gives 700 or 800; Biauzat, Sa vie et sa correspondance, II, 152, says 

 there were 20,000 by the time they reached the prison. 



^^^ Journal dc Hardy, June 30, VIII, 373; Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 149; 

 Gazette de Leyde, Sup. No. 55 (July 2). 



^'^^ Journal de Hardy, June 30, VIII, 2,7i- 



50" Journal de Hardy, June 30, VIII, 373 ; Gazette de Leyde, Sup. No. 55 

 (July 2) ; Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 149. 



s°8 Rouff, " Le peuple ouvrier de Paris, etc.," La revolution francaise, 

 November, 1912, 446. 



509 Ibid., 438. 



510 Biauzat, Sa vie et sa correspondance, II, 152; Bulletins d'un agent 

 secret, July i ; Gazette de Leyde, Sup. No. 55 (July 2) ; Duquesnoy, Jour- 

 nal, I, 149. 



511 Bailly, Memoires, I, 264-267; Gazette de Leyde, Sup. No. 55 (July 

 2) ; Proces-verbal, I, No. 11, i. 



389 



