eutenant-colonel, demands a court-martial, but first of all to be sent
to the firing line. His company leaves to-morrow morning. He begs me to
obtain for him from the Minister of War permission to go and get himself
killed. I have written to General Le Flo about him. It is likely that he
will take part in to-morrow's battle.

December 21.--At 3 o'clock this morning I heard the bugles of the troops
marching to battle. When will my turn come?

December 22.--Yesterday was a good day. The action continues. The
thunder of cannon can be heard to the east and west.

Little Jeanne begins to talk at length and very expressively. But it is
impossible to understand a word she says. She laughs.

Leopold has sent me thirteen fresh eggs, which I will reserve for little
Georges and little Jeanne.

Louis Blanc came to dine with me. He came on behalf of Edmond Adam,
Louis Jourdan, Cernuschi and others to tell me that he and I must go to
Trochu and summon him to save Paris or resign. I refused. I should be
posing as an arbiter of the situation and at the same time hamper a
battle begun and which may be a successful one. Louis Blanc was of my
way of thinking, as were also Meurice, Vacquerie and my sons, who dined
with us.

December 23.--Henri Rochefort came to dine with me. I had not seen him
since August of last year, when we were in Brussels. Georges did not
recognise his godfather. I was very cordial. I like him very much. He
has great talent and great courage. The dinner was a very merry one,
although we are all threatened with incarceration in a Prussian fortress
if Paris is captured. After Guernsey, Spandau. So be it.

I bought for 19 francs at the Magasins du Louvre a soldier's cape with
hood, to wear on the ramparts.

My house continues to be crowded with visitors. To-day a painter named
Le Genissel called. He reminded me that I saved him from the galleys in
1848. He was one of the insurgents of June.

Heavy cannonade during the night. A battle is in preparation.

December 24.--It is freezing. Ice floes are floating down the Seine.

Paris only eats brown bread now.

December 25.--Heavy cannonade all night.

An item of news of present-day Paris: A basket of oysters has just
reached the city. It sold for 750 francs.

At a bazar in aid of the poor at which Alice and Mme. Meurice acted as
vendors, a young turkey fetched 250 francs.

The Seine is freezing over.

December 26.--Louis Blanc calle