n the
most cowardly manner decline to come out of it, the wily Parisian braves
are rubbing the outer circle of trees over with petroleum, as a
preparatory step to burn them out. This veracious tale is believed by
two-thirds of Paris.

CHAPTER III.

_September 27th,_ 8 A.M.

I have sent you numerous letters, but I am not aware whether you have
received them. As very probably they are now either in the clouds or in
the moon, I write a short resume of what has passed since we have been
cut off from the outer world, as I believe that I have a very good
chance this morning to communicate with you.

When the town was first invested the greatest disorder existed. For a
few days officers, even generals, were shot at by regiments outside the
fortifications; the National Guards performed their service on the
ramparts very reluctantly, and, when possible, shirked it. The Mobiles
were little better than an armed mob of peasants. The troops of the line
were utterly demoralised. The streets were filled with troopers
staggering about half drunk, and groups of armed Mobiles wandering in
ignorance of the whereabouts of their quarters and of their regiments.
The Government was divided into two parties--one supported by the
Moderates, and anxious to make peace on reasonable terms; the other
supported by the Ultras, and determined to continue the contest at all
hazards. The Ministers were almost in despair at finding the utter
disorder in which everything had been left by their predecessors. Little
by little this condition of things has mended for the better. Since the
failure of the mission of M. Jules Favre, and the exorbitant demands
which were then put forward by Count Bismarck, both Moderates and Ultras
have supported the men who are in power. It is felt by all that if Paris
is to be defended with any prospect of success, there must be absolute
union among its defenders. The Deputies of Paris are not thought,
perhaps, to be endowed with any very great administrative ability, but
Mr. Lincoln's proverb respecting the difficulty of a person changing his
horse whilst he is crossing a stream is acted on, and so long as they
neither commit any signal act of folly, nor attempt to treat with
Prussia either for peace or a capitulation, I think that no effort will
be made to oust them. They are, I believe, doing their best to organise
the defence of this city, and if they waste a little time in altering
the names of the streets, an