ised that I had got so far without being stopped. I told
them that they were quite right to obey their _consigne_, and that I
would go back the way I had come. One of them suggested that I might be
a spy, but he accepted my assurance that I was not. Another proposed to
keep me as a captive until some officer passed; but I told them that
this was contrary to all law, human and divine, civil and military.
"Well, gentlemen," I at last said, "I will now wish you good day, my
mother will be anxious about me if I do not return, otherwise I should
have been happy to remain in such good society;" and with this speech I
turned back and went towards Asnieres; they did not follow me, but
remained with their mouths open, utterly unable to grasp the idea why an
Englishman should be taking a walk in the neighbourhood of Paris, and
why he should have an aged mother anxiously awaiting his return in the
city. (N.B.--If you want to inspire a Frenchman with a sort of
sentimental respect, always talk of your mother; the same effect is
produced on a German by an allusion to your bride.) At the bridge of
Neuilly the guard had been changed, and I had a lengthy discussion
whether I ought to be imprisoned or allowed to pass. I was inclined to
think that I owe the latter motion being carried, to a very eloquent
speech which I threw off, but this may perhaps be vanity on my part, as
Mont Valerien was also discoursing at the same time, and dividing with
me the attention of my auditors.

M. de Keratry has resigned his post of Prefect of the Police, and has
been succeeded by M. Edmond Adam, who is said to be a man of energy.
Yesterday M. Jules Ferry went down to Belleville, and delivered several
speeches, which he informs us to-day in a letter were greatly
applauded. The _Official Gazette_ contains an intimation that M.
Flourens is to be prosecuted, but I greatly question whether it is more
than _brutum fulmen_. The Council of War has condemned five of the
soldiers who ran away at the fight of Chatillon. Several others who were
tried for the same offence have been acquitted. It is reported that an
engagement took place this afternoon at Villejuif, but no details are
yet known. There is no doubt that the Prussians have enlarged their
circle round Paris, and that they have massed troops near Choisy-le-Roi.
What these two manoeuvres portend, we are all anxiously discussing.

Several balloons went off this morning. I have deluged the Post-office
with l