them. Its list is intended to include the most practical men of all
parties; the rallying cry is to be France, and in theory its chiefs are
supposed to be moderate Republicans.

The ceremony of the giving up of the forts has passed over very quietly.
The Prussians entered them without noise or parade. At St. Denis, the
mayor of which said that no Prussian would be safe in it, friends and
foes, I am told by a person who has just returned, have fraternised, and
are pledging each other in every species of liquor. The ramparts are
being dismantled of their guns; the National Guard no longer does duty
on them, and crowds assemble and stare vaguely into the country outside.
During the whole siege Paris has not been so dismal and so dreary as it
is now. There is no longer the excitement of the contest, and yet we are
prisoners. The only consolation is that a few weeks will put an end to
this state of things.

CHAPTER XIX.

_February 1st._

The Government of National Defence has almost disappeared from notice.
It has become a Committee to preside over public order. The world may
calumniate us, they said in a proclamation the other day. It would be
impossible, replied the newspapers. Trochu and Gambetta, once the idols
of the Parisians, are now the best abused men in France. Trochu (a
friend of his told me to-day) deserted by all, makes speeches in the
bosom of his family. No more speeches, no more lawyers; is the cry of
the journals. And then they spin out phrases of exaggerated Spartanism
by the yard, and suggest some lawyer as the rising hope of the country.

The cannon have been taken from the ramparts. The soldiers--Line and
Mobile--wander about unarmed, with their hands in their pockets, staring
at the shop-windows. They are very undemonstrative, and more like
peaceful villagers than rough troopers. They pass most of their time
losing their way and trying to find it again; and the Mobiles are
longing to get back to their homes. It appears now that there was an
error in the statistics published by the Government respecting the stock
of grain in hand. Two accounts, which were one and the same, were added
together. The bread is getting less like bread every day. Besides peas,
rice, and hay, starch is now ground up with it. In the eighth
arrondissement yesterday, there were no rations. The Northern Company do
not expect a provision train from Dieppe before Friday, and do not think
they will be able to carry pass