at he has a plan, the
success of which he guarantees; he declines to confide to a soul any of
its details, but he announces that he has deposited it with his notary,
Maitre Duclos, in order that it may not be lost to the world in the
event of his being killed. As yet no one has fathomed this mysterious
plan; it appears to contemplate defensive rather than offensive
operations.

Mont Valerien now fires daily. Its commander has been changed; its
former one has been removed because the protests against the silence of
this fort were so loud and strong. His successor, with the fate of his
predecessor before him, bangs away at every Uhlan within sight. For the
commanders of forts to be forced to keep up a continual fire in order to
satisfy public opinion, is not an encouraging state of things. The
assertion of the Government, that no reports of what is going on in
France have been received from Tours, is discredited. They have got
themselves in a mess by their former declarations that communications
with the exterior were kept up; for if they know nothing, it is asked
what can these communications have been worth. Our last news from
outside is derived from a Rouen newspaper of the 29th ult., which is
published to-day.

A few days ago it was announced that all pledges below the value of
20fr. would be returned by the Mont-de-Piete without payment. Since then
everyone has been pledging articles for sums below this amount, as a
second decree of the same nature is expected. It is not a bad plan to
give relief in this manner to those in want. As yet, however, there is
no absolute destitution, and as long as the provisions last I do not
think that there will be. So long as flour and meat last, everyone with
more or less trouble will get his share. As the amount of both these
articles is, however, finite, one of these days we shall hear that they
are exhausted. The proprietors have been deprived of their power to sue
for rents, consequently a family requires but little ready money to rub
on from hand to mouth. My landlord every week presents me with my bill.
The ceremony seems to please him, and does me no harm. I have pasted
upon my mantlepiece the decree of the Government adjourning payment of
rent, and the right to read and re-read this document is all that he
will get from me until the end of the siege. Yesterday I ordered myself
a warm suit of clothes; I chose a tailor with a German name, so I feel
convinced that he will not