rit of the Russians perhaps would not have been very prudent), and
that he could not have succeeded. A doubting shake of the head,
significant shrug of the shoulders, and expressive "Ba, Ba," explain
well enough their opinions on the subject.

I cannot conceive a more grating badge to the officers than the white
cockade--the fleur de lys is now generally adopted in place of the N and
other insignia of Bonaparte, but, excepting from some begging boys, I
have never heard the cry of "Vive Louis XVIII.!" and then it was done, I
shrewdly suspect, as an acceptable cry for the Anglois, and followed
immediately by "un pauvre petit liard, s'il vous plait, Mons." We went
to the play last night; the house was filthy beyond description, and the
company execrable as far as dress went; few women, and those in their
morning dress and Oldenburg Bonnets--the men almost all officers, and a
horrid-looking set they were. I would give them credit for military
talents; they all looked like chiefs of banditti--swarthy visages,
immense moustachios, vulgar, disgusting, dirty, and ill-bred in their
appearance.

From all I hear the account of the duels between these and the Russian
officers at Paris were perfectly correct.[39]

I am just come in from a stroll about the town. Among the most
interesting circumstances that occurred was the inspection of
detachments of several regiments quartered there. I happened to be close
to the General when he addressed some Grenadiers de la Garde Imperiale
on the subject of their dismissal, which it seems they wanted. They
spoke to him without any respect, and on his explaining the terms on
which their dismissal could alone be had, they appeared by no means
satisfied, and when he went I heard one of them in talking to a party
collected round him say, "Eh bien, s'il ne veut pas nous congedier, nous
passerons." A man standing by told me a short time ago a regiment of
Imperial Chasseurs when called upon to shout "Vive Louis XVIII.!" at
Boulogne, to a man, officers included, cried "Vive Napoleon!" and I feel
very certain that had the same thing been required to-day from the
soldiers on the field, they would have acted in the same manner, and
that the spectators would have cried "Amen."

I heard abundance of curious remarks on the subject of the war, the
peace, and the changes; they will have it they were not conquered. "Oh
no." "Paris ne fut jamais vaincue--elle s'est soumise seulement!" I
leave it to your Engl