ore," as
they called Paris. Their fire, they said, had, they believed, done
considerable damage to the works which the Prussians had tried to erect,
within their range. The Commandant now came out with some of his
officers, and we tried to search with telescopes the distant woods which
were supposed to conceal the enemy. I confess that I saw absolutely
nothing except trees and some houses, which were in ruins, "Throw a
shell into those houses," cried the Commandant, and off went one of the
great guns. It fell wide. "Try again," he said. This time we could see
through the glasses that the house had been hit, for a portion of one of
the walls toppled over, and a column of dust arose. No Prussians,
however, emerged. A few shots were then fired promiscuously into the
woods, in order to sound the lines; and then Commandant, officers,
friend and I, withdrew to breakfast. I was, of course, cautious in my
conversation, and all that was said I do not care to repeat--the general
feeling, however, seemed to be that the prospects of Paris defending
itself successfully were considerably weakened by the "lot of lawyers"
who interfered with matters about which they knew nothing. The National
Guards, who I hear are to occupy the forts, were laughed at by these
warriors; as for the Mobiles, it was thought that in two months they
might become good soldiers, but that their discipline was most
defective. "When we get them in here," said a gruff old Captain, "we do
not stand their nonsense; but outside, when they are alone with their
officers, they do very much what they please." The soldiers of the
regular army, I was told, had recovered their _morale_, and if well led,
might be depended upon. As was natural, the sailors were greatly
extolled, and I think they deserved it; the best come from Brittany; and
like Joe Bagstock, they are tough, sir, very tough--what are called in
French, "wolves of the sea." Breakfast over, we returned to Paris in
company with two or three officers, who had been given leave of absence
for the day. This afternoon, hearing that egress was allowed at the
Barriere de Neuilly, I started out in a fiacre, to see what was to be
seen in that direction. Along the Avenue de Neuilly there were
encampments of soldiers of the line and Mobiles. At the bridge of
Neuilly my fiacre was stopped, but having explained to the commander of
the picket that I wanted to take a walk, and shown my papers, for some
reason best known to hims