se gentlemen's faces. It is bad for my tablecloth, too; I am
afraid I shall never see it again; somebody told me it had been torn
in pieces. But it is for the Emperor that I feel most sorry in all this
business, for he is in a great deal worse condition than the marshal;
he would be much better off in his bed than in that room, where he is
wearing himself out with his everlasting walking."

She spoke with much feeling, and on her pretty pink and white face there
was an expression of sincere pity, but Delaherche, whose Bonapartist
ardor had somehow cooled considerably during the last two days, said to
himself that she was a little fool. He nevertheless remained chatting
with her a moment in the hall below while waiting for General Lebrun to
take his departure, and when that officer appeared and left the building
he followed him.

General Lebrun had explained to the Emperor that if it was thought best
to apply for an armistice, etiquette demanded that a letter to that
effect, signed by the commander-in-chief of the French forces, should
be dispatched to the German commander-in-chief. He had also offered to
write the letter, go in search of General de Wimpffen, and obtain his
signature to it. He left the Sous-Prefecture with the letter in his
pocket, but apprehensive he might not succeed in finding de Wimpffen,
entirely ignorant as he was of the general's whereabouts on the field of
battle. Within the ramparts of Sedan, moreover, the crowd was so dense
that he was compelled to walk his horse, which enabled Delaherche to
keep him in sight until he reached the Minil gate.

Once outside upon the road, however, General Lebrun struck into a
gallop, and when near Balan had the good fortune to fall in with the
chief. Only a few minutes previous to this the latter had written to the
Emperor: "Sire, come and put yourself at the head of your troops; they
will force a passage through the enemy's lines for you, or perish in the
attempt;" therefore he flew into a furious passion at the mere mention
of the word armistice. No, no! he would sign nothing, he would fight
it out! This was about half-past three o'clock, and it was shortly
afterward that occurred the gallant, but mad attempt, the last serious
effort of the day, to pierce the Bavarian lines and regain possession of
Bazeilles. In order to put heart into the troops a ruse was resorted to:
in the streets of Sedan and in the fields outside the walls the shout
was raised: "Bazaine