onths. Prices are, however, already rising. We have a bread and a
meat maximum, but to force a butcher to sell you a cutlet at the tariff
price, one has to go with a corporal's guard, which cannot always be
procured. The _Gazette Officielle_ contains a decree regulating the sale
of horse-flesh. I presume if the siege lasts long enough, dogs, rats,
and cats will be tariffed. I have got 1000 francs with me. It is
impossible to draw upon England; consequently, I see a moment coming
when, unless rats are reasonable, I shall not be able to afford myself
the luxury of one oftener than once a week. When I am at the end of my
1000 francs, I shall become an advocate for Felix Pyat's public tables,
at which, as far as I understand his plan, those who have money pay, and
those who have not, eat.

Yesterday was a quiet day. The forts occasionally fired to "sound the
enemy's lines," but that was all. But how is it all to end? In a given
time the Parisians will eat themselves out and fire themselves out. The
credulity of the public is as great as ever. We are told that "France is
rising, and that in a few weeks three armies will throw themselves on
the Prussians, who are already utterly disorganised." In vain I ask,
"But what if these three armies do not make their appearance?" I am
regarded as an idiot for venturing to discredit a notorious fact. If I
dared, I would venture to suggest to some of my warlike friends that a
town which simply defends itself by shutting its gates, firing into
space, and waiting for apocryphal armies, is not acting a very heroic
part.

M.F. Pyat announces in the _Combat_ that the musket of honour which is
to be given to the man who shoots the King of Prussia is to have
inscribed upon it the word "Peacemaker." We have taken it into our heads
that the German army, Count Bismarck, the Crown Prince, and all the
Generals of the Corps d'Armee are in favour of peace, and the only
obstacle to its being at once concluded lies in the obstinacy of the
Monarch, whom we usually term "that mystic drunkard."

The _Rappel_ contains the report of a meeting which was held last night
of all the Republican Committees. Resolutions were adopted blaming the
Government for putting off the municipal elections. The adjournment,
however, of these elections is, I am convinced, regarded as a salutary
measure by a majority even of the ultras.

I dropped into the English Embassy this morning to see what was doing
there. Mr. Wodehou