four o'clock in
the morning
The revolution that since the first reverse had been at work within him , sweeping away the legend of Napoleonic glory , the sentimental Bonapartism that he owed to the epic narratives of his grandfather , was now complete . He had ceased to be a believer in Republicanism , pure and simple , considering the remedy not drastic enough ; he had begun to dabble in the theories of the extremists , he was a believer in the necessity of the Terror as the only means of ridding them of the traitors and imbeciles who were about to slay the country . And so it was that he was heart and soul with the insurgents when , on the 31st of October , tidings of disaster came pouring in on them in quick succession : the loss of Bourget , that had been captured from the enemy only a few days before by a dashing surprise ; M. Thiers ' return to Versailles from his visit to the European capitals , prepared to treat for peace , so it was said , in the name of Napoleon III. ; and finally the capitulation of Metz , rumors of which had previously been current and which was now confirmed , the last blow of the bludgeon , another Sedan , only attended by circumstances of blacker infamy . And when he learned next day the occurrences at the Hotel de Ville -- how the insurgents had been for a brief time successful , how the members of the Government of National Defense had been made prisoners and held until four o'clock in the morning , how finally the fickle populace , swayed at one moment by detestation for the ministers and at the next terrified by the prospect of a successful revolution , had released them -- he was filled with regret at the miscarriage of the attempt , at the non-success of the Commune , which might have been their salvation , calling the people to arms , warning them of the country 's danger , arousing the cherished memories of a nation that wills it will not perish . Thiers did not dare even to set his foot in Paris , where there was some attempt at illumination to celebrate the failure of the negotiations . The month of November was to Maurice a period of feverish expectancy . There were some conflicts of no great importance , in which he had no share .