im on a
stretcher. It was then discovered that he was still alive. A soldier
went up to him to finish him off, but his gun missed fire. He was then
handed another, when he blew out the wretched man's brains. From all I
can learn from the people connected with the different ambulances, our
loss yesterday does not amount to above 2000 killed and wounded. Most of
the newspapers estimate it far higher. At Buzenval, where the only
really sharp fighting took place, an officer who was in command tells me
that there were about 300 killed. For the sake of humanity, it is to be
hoped that we shall have no more of these blind sorties. The French get
through the first Prussian lines; they are then arrested by the fire of
the batteries from the second line; reinforcements are brought up by the
enemy; and the well-known movement to the rear commences. "Our losses,"
say the official reports the next morning, "are great; those of the
enemy enormous. Our troops fought with distinguished valour, but----"

_January 21st._

It was so wet last night that there were but few groups of people on the
Boulevards. At the clubs Trochu was universally denounced. Almost every
one is now in despair. Of what use, they say, are the victories of
Bourbaki; he cannot be here in time. We had pinned our faith on Chanzy,
and the news of his defeat, coupled with our own, has almost
extinguished every ray of hope in the breasts even of the most hopeful.
The Government, it is thought, is preparing the public mind for a
capitulation. _La Liberte_, until now its strongest supporter, bitterly
complains that it should publish the truth! Chandordy's despatch went
first to Jules Favre. He stood over the man who was deciphering it. When
he read the opening sentence, "Un grand malheur," he refused to read
more, and sent it undeciphered to Trochu. When it reached the Governor,
no one on his staff could decipher it, so it had to be returned to the
Foreign-office. The moment for the quacks is at hand. A "General" offers
to raise the siege if he be given 50,000 men. A magician offers a shell
which will destroy the Prussians root and branch. M. Felix Pyat, in his
organ, observes that Sparta never was taken, and that the Spartans used
to eat in common. He proposes, therefore, as a means to free Paris, that
a series of public suppers should be inaugurated. I can only say that I
hope that they may be, for I certainly shall attend. Even Spartan broth
would be acceptable. The