r upon the same principles of
international law which formed many thousand years ago the rule of
conquest among the Israelites. They are spoiling the Egyptians with a
vengeance. Even in this town, under the very eyes of the King, there is
one street--the Boulevard de la Reine--in which almost every house is
absolutely gutted. This, I hear, was done by the Bavarians. The German
army may have many excellent qualities, but chivalry is not among them.
War with them is a business. When a nation is conquered, there is no
sentimental pity for it, but as much is to be made out of it as
possible. Like the elephants, which can crush a tree or pick up a
needle, they conquer a province and they pick a pocket. As soon as a
German is quartered in a room he sends for a box and some straw;
carefully and methodically packs up the clock on the mantelpiece, and
all the stray ornaments which he can lay his hands on; and then, with a
tear glistening in his eye for his absent family, directs them either to
his mother, his wife, or his lady-love. In vain the proprietor protests;
the philosophical warrior utters the most noble sentiments respecting
the horrors of war; ponderously explains that the French do not
sufficiently appreciate the blessings of peace; and that he is one of
the humble instruments whose mission it is to make these blessings clear
to them. Then he rings the bell, and in a mild and gentle voice, orders
his box of loot to be carried off by his military servant. Ben Butler
and his New Englanders in New Orleans might have profitably taken
lessons from these all-devouring locusts. Nothing escapes them. They
have long rods which they thrust into the ground to see whether anything
of value has been buried in the gardens. Sometimes they confiscate a
house, and then re-sell it to the proprietor. Sometimes they cart off
the furniture. Pianos they are very fond of. When they see one, they
first sit down and play a few sentimental ditties, then they go away,
requisition a cart, and minstrel and instrument disappear together. They
are a singular mixture of bravery and meanness. No one can deny that
they possess the former quality, but they are courageous without one
spark of heroism. After fighting all day, they will rifle the corpses of
their fallen foes of every article they can lay their hands on, and will
return to their camp equally happy because they have won a great victory
for Fatherland, and stolen a watch from one of the enemie