t, come what may, he would get his own and my letters through the
Prussian lines. My friend, I found, had taken himself off to safe
quarters before the last road was closed. For my part I despise any
Parisian who has not remained here to defend his native city, whether he
be Imperialist or Republican, noble or merchant.

_Evening (Sunday)._

They could stand it no longer; the afternoon was too fine. Stern
patriotism unbent, and tragic severity of demeanour was forgotten. The
Champs Elysees and the Avenue de la Grande Armee were full of people.
Monsieur shone by his absence; he was at the ramparts, or was supposed
to be there; but his wife, his children, his _bonne_, and his kitchen
wench issued forth, oblivious alike of dull care and of bombarding
Prussians, to enjoy themselves after their wont by gossiping and lolling
in the sun. The Strasburg fetish had its usual crowd of admirers. Every
bench in the Champs Elysees was occupied. Guitars twanged, organs were
ground, merry-go-rounds were in full swing, and had it not been that
here and there some regiment was drilling, one would have supposed
oneself in some country fair. There were but few men; no fine toilets,
no private carriages. It was a sort of Greenwich-park. At the Arc de
Triomphe was a crowd trying to discover what was going on upon the
heights above Argenteuil. Some declared they saw Prussians, while others
with opera glasses declared that the supposed Prussians were only trees.
In the Avenue de l'Imperatrice was a large crowd gazing upon the Fort
of Mont Valerien. This fort, because I presume it is the strongest for
defence, is the favourite of the Parisians. They love it as a sailor
loves his ship. "If I were near enough," said a girl near me, "I would
kiss it." "Let me carry your kiss to it," replied a Mobile, and the pair
embraced, amid the cheers of the people round them. At Auteuil there
were _fiacres_ full of sightseers, come to watch the Prussian batteries
at Meudon, which could be distinctly seen. Occasionally, too, there came
a puff of smoke from one of the gunboats.

_September 26th._

Do the Prussians really mean to starve us out? The Government gave out a
fortnight ago that there was food then within the city for two months'
consumption for a population of two millions. It is calculated that,
including the Mobiles, there are not above 1,500,000 mouths at present
to feed, so that with proper care the supplies may be made to last for
three m