lunteer corps as the
artists or 'Inns of Court.' Some of the younger professors are in the
ranks, and at least we are all of average intelligence and education, so
I fancy we shall fight if we get a chance. I don't mean now, but later
on when we have gained confidence in ourselves and in our rifles. Just
at present the Parisians are disposed to look upon the Germans as
bogies, but this will wear off, and as discipline is recovered by the
line, and the mobiles grow into soldiers, you will see that things will
be very different; and although I don't indulge in any vain fancy that
we are going to defeat the German army, I do think that we shall bear
ourselves like men and show something of the old French spirit."

"That will be a change, indeed," the girl said, scornfully.

"Yes, it will be a change," he answered, quietly, "but by no means an
impossible one. You must not take the vaporings and bombast of the Paris
Bourgeois or the ranting of Blanqui and the Belleville roughs as the
voice of France. The Germans thought that they were going to take Paris
in three days. I doubt if they will take it in three months. If we had
provisions I should say they would not take it in treble that time. They
certainly would not do it without making regular approaches, and before
they can do that they have to capture some of the forts. These, as you
know, are manned by 10,000 sailors, hardy marines and Bretons, well
disciplined and untainted by the politics which are the curse of this
country. Well, I must be going. I have to purchase my three days' store
of provisions on my way back to my lodgings and shall have to turn out
early."

"Don't do anything rash," she said, earnestly.

"I can assure you rashness is not in my line at all, and I don't suppose
we shall ever get within five hundred yards of a Prussian soldier. You
need not be in the least uneasy, even supposing that you were inclined
to fidget about me?"

"Of course, I should fidget about you," she said, indignantly. "After
knowing you ever since I was a little child, naturally I should be very
sorry if anything happened to you."

"By the way," he said, without pursuing the subject farther, "I hear
that there is a movement on foot for forming a corps of women. If they
should do so it will afford you another illustration of the equality of
your sex to ours in all matters, and I will go so far as to admit that I
would much rather lead a company of the market-women than one com