They behaved with the wondrous good nature
which characterizes a French crowd, laughing over the absurdity of their
predicament and waving the tickets, which they would never be enabled to
present, jestingly at one another. In course of time the whole of the
_jardin prive_ was full of people, who looked up at the lights streaming
from the windows, and sat about on chairs quietly smoking their cigars
and enjoying the lovely evening, listening to the occasional boom at
the other end of the long alley, where a bright flash which bore death
upon its wings appeared in the sky from time to time, in mockery of the
gas-lit chandeliers and feeble attempts at revelry that were going on
above our heads.

The reigning scandal of the day is the affair of the Convent of Picpus.
So highly roused has public indignation been by the supposed discovery
of atrocities committed within those jealous walls that the people have
been peremptorily excluded until the investigations of justice shall be
complete. I managed, however, to penetrate within the precincts by
attaching myself to the _cortege_ of an English friend, who was
journeying thither under special official orders, to investigate the
case of an English Sister named Garret. In the Rue de Picpus, near Mazas
prison, stand two large buildings, each surrounded by high walls, above
which may be seen green trees at intervals. The one is an establishment
of the Jesuites; the other the Convent of the White Nuns. The Jesuites
Brothers escaped at the first sign of approaching danger, but the
Sisters held their own until forced into cabs and conveyed to the cells
of St. Lazare, there to await the results of a judicial inquiry into
certain matters that are deemed suspicious. Arrived at the gate of the
Convent, we were obliged to force our way through a crowd of angry
people who demanded instant permission to enter, and who were as
persistently swept back by a group of National Guards--we, however,
being admitted inside the door under cover of the official pass and
signatures. In the court-yard, under the shade of some fine trees, a few
Guards were playing bowls in the Jesuit's alley, and making up to one of
them, whose cap displayed tokens of authority, we mentioned our
business, and begged permission to see what was to be seen. Our friend
was very civil, accepted a cigar, and marched us off to go the rounds.
He pointed out to us the fact, of which there certainly could exist no
kind of doubt,