r where they were
to be stationed--"On paper," he added, "I and my battalion are at La
Malmaison." As for the sortie, which is to revictual Paris, by forcing
the Prussian lines, it is simply absurd to talk of it. If Trochu
attempts it, the result must be disastrous, and _coute qui coute_, the
political exigences of the situation render it absolutely necessary that
at least apparent success must crown our next encounter with the enemy.
The next thing would be to hold our own, as long as the provisions last,
and trust to the chapter of accidents; but this is impossible in the
present temper of both soldiers and citizens. General Trochu has
insisted so loudly that, if not interfered with, he would not only keep
the enemy out of Paris, but raise the siege--that he must do something
to redeem his pledge.

We have almost forgotten our troubles, in hearing that King William, "to
recompense his soldiers and reward their valour," has made his son and
his nephew Field Marshals. We wish to know whether, if his army takes
Paris, he will reward the men by declaring himself infallible, and
giving "our Fritz" a few million francs. With fear and trembling we ask
whether the success of the Bavarians will be recognized by their
monarch being allowed to inflict on us the operas of his friend Wagner.

A new industry has sprung up in Paris. A manufactory has been
discovered, in which Prussian casques and sabres were being made. It was
at first thought that the owner was engaged in a dark conspiracy, but,
upon being arrested, he confessed that he was endeavouring to meet the
demand for trophies from the fields of battle. In one room of the house
of this ingenious speculator, a large number of forged letters were
found, from mothers, sisters, and brides, to their relations in the army
before Paris: these, he explained, were to be sold, warranted from the
pocket of a German corpse.

Has Gambetta contracted with a London firm for a loan of 250 millions at
42? The financial world here is in a state of the greatest agitation
about a statement to this effect, which has been discovered in an
English newspaper. The Government officially declares that it knows
nothing about the matter. It is a curious sign of the universal belief
of any one in official utterances, that this denial is regarded as very
questionable evidence against the loan having been made. What puzzles us
is, that the Rente is at 53--why then was this new loan issued at 42? An
att