nk that his Excellency, M. de Bernstoff, Prussian Ambassador to
England, takes pleasure in making fun of me. I never meet him but that
he announces to me that Paris will capitulate the next day. The next day
arrives and Paris does not capitulate. However, this evening his
Excellency looked so perfectly sure of what he was saying that I think I
can prepare to start for Paris.

PARIS, _February 20, 1871_.

I only left on the 10th of February. At last I am in Paris. I travelled
slowly, by short stages. What a lot of burned villages! What a lot of
sacked houses! What a lot of devastated forests, dug-up woods, and
bridges and railroads destroyed! And these Europeans treat us as
barbarians!

However, among all these ruins there is one the sight of which filled me
with the keenest joy. The palace of Saint-Cloud was the summer palace of
the Emperor Napoleon, and not a stone upon a stone remains. I
contemplated curiously, eagerly, and for a long time the blackened ruins
of this palace. Pieces of old Chinese vases were hidden in the heaps of
rubbish among the wreck of marble and fragments of shell.

Where did those old Chinese vases come from? Perhaps from the summer
palace of our Emperor, from that palace which was devastated, burned,
and destroyed by those English and French soldiers who came to bring us
civilization.

I was extremely well received by the English, who overwhelmed me with
invitations and kindnesses; but none the less I hope that the palaces of
Buckingham and Windsor will also have their turn.

PARIS, _February 25, 1871_.

I have written to M. Jules Favre to let him know that I have been
waiting six months for the opportunity of presenting to him the
compliments and apologies of the Emperor of China. M. Jules Favre
answered me that he is obliged to start for Bordeaux. I shall have an
audience in the beginning of March.

PARIS, _March 7, 1871_.

Another letter from M. Jules Favre. He is expected at Frankfort by M. de
Bismarck. My audience is again put off.

PARIS, _March 17, 1871_.

At last, to-morrow, March 18th, at four o'clock, I am to be received by
M. Jules Favre at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

PARIS, _March 18, 1871_.

We dressed ourselves, I and my two secretaries, in our official
costumes, and departed at three o'clock, accompanied by an interpreter.
We arrived. The court of the house was filled with people who appeared
busy and hurried, and who came and went, carrying cases