ced one on the
other. I promise you there will be wood enough in the forest the day
honest men make up their minds to exercise their muscles on your backs,
you bullying slave-drivers!

LXXVIII.

After Bergeret came Cluseret; after Cluseret, Rossel. But Rossel has
just sent in his resignation. My idea is, that we take back Cluseret,
that we may have Bergeret, and so on, unless we prefer to throw
ourselves into the open arms of General Lullier. The choice of another
general for the defence of Paris is however no business of mine; and the
Commune, a sultan without a favourite, may throw his handkerchief if he
pleases, to the tender Delescluze, as some say he has the intention--I
have not the least objection. Why should not Delescluze[81] be an
excellent general? He is a journalist, and what journalist does not know
more about military matters than Napoleon I., or Von Moltke himself? In
the meantime we are in mourning for our third War Delegate, and we shall
no longer see Rossel on his dark bay, galloping between the Place
Vendome and the Fort Montrouge. He has just written the following letter
to the members of the Commune:--

[Illustration: QUELLE GOURMANDE! Paris at Table

--Waiter--Two or three more stuffed generals!

--We are out of them.

--Very well, then a dozen colonels in caper sauce.

--A Dozen?--Yes! Directly!!]

"CITIZENS, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNE,--Having been charged by you with
the War Department, I feel myself no longer capable of bearing the
responsibility of a command wherein every one deliberates, and no
one obeys.

"When it was necessary to organise the artillery, the Central
Committee of Artillery deliberated, but nothing was done.
After a month's revolution, that service is only carried on, thanks
to the energy of a very small number of volunteers.

"On my nomination to the Ministry, I wanted to further the search
for arms, the requisition of horses, and the pursuit of refractory
citizens; I asked help of the Commune.

"The Commune deliberated, but passed no resolutions.

"Later, the Central Committee came and offered its services to the
War Department; I accepted them in the most decisive manner, and
delivered up to its members all the documents I had concerning its
organisation. Since then the Central Committee has been
deliberating, and has done nothing. During this time the enemy
multiplied its ventureso