ds his seconds -- Vaillant declines the meeting, and
gives his reason -- Vaillant abrupt at the best of times -- A
freezing reception -- A comic interview -- Attempts to shirk
military duty -- Tricks -- Mistakes -- A story in point -- More
tricks -- Sham ailments: how the marshal dealt with them -- When
the marshal was not in an amiable mood -- Another interview --
Vaillant's tactics -- "D----d annoying to be wrong" -- The
marshal fond of science -- A very interesting scientific
phenomenon himself -- Science under the later Bourbons --
Suspicion of the soldiers of the Empire -- The priesthood and the
police -- The most godless republic preferable to a continuance
of their regime -- The marshal's dog, Brusca -- Her dislike to
civilians -- Brusca's chastity -- Vaillant's objection to
insufficiently prepaid letters -- His habit of missing the train,
notwithstanding his precautions -- His objection to fuss and
public honours 351

CHAPTER XIX.

The Franco-German War -- Friday, July 15, 1870, 6 p.m. -- My
friends "confident of France being able to chastise the insolence
of the King of Prussia" -- I do not share their confidence; but
do not expect a crushing defeat -- Napoleon III.'s presence
aggravated the disasters; his absence would not have averted them
-- He himself had no illusions about the efficiency of the army,
did not suspect the rottenness of it -- His previous endeavours
at reorganization -- The real drift of his proposed inquiries --
His plan meant also compulsory service for every one -- Why the
legislature opposed it -- The makeshift proposed by it --
Napoleon weary, body and soul -- His physical condition -- A
great consultation and the upshot of it -- Dr. Ricord and what he
told me -- I am determined to see and hear, though not to speak
-- I sally forth -- The streets on the evening of Friday, the
15th of July -- The illuminations -- Patriotism or Chauvinism --
The announcement of a bookseller -- What Moltke thought of it --
The opinion of a dramatist on the war -- The people; no
horse-play -- No work done on Saturday and Sunday -- Cabmen -- "A
man does not pay for his own funeral, monsieur" -- The northern
station on Sunday -- The departing Germans -- The Emperor's
particular instr