PARIS, _August 29, 1870_.
DEAR FRIEND: I thank you for your letter. I am still very ill and
nervous. One would be so with less cause. The situation looks black to
me. For a few days, however, it has mended slightly. The military men
manifest confidence. The soldiers and the militia are fighting perfectly
together; it appears that the army of Maréchal Bazaine has accomplished
prodigies of valour, although it has always fought one against three.
Now, to-morrow, perhaps to-day, another great battle is looked for.
These last engagements have been frightful. The Prussians conduct war by
hand-to-hand fighting. Until the present, this method has been
successful for them, but it seems that near Metz the carnage was such as
to give them cause for reflection. It is said that the young ladies of
Berlin have lost all their partners in the dance. If we could escort the
rest back to the frontier,--or bury them here, which would be better--we
should not have reached the limit of our troubles. This terrible
butchery, we must not deceive ourselves, is but the prologue to a
tragedy of which the devil alone knows the catastrophe. A nation is not
shaken like ours has been without suffering for it. It is inconceivable
that from our victory, as from our defeat, a revolution will not come.
All the blood which has been shed, or which will be shed, is to the
profit of the Republic--that is, of organised disorder.
Good-bye, dear friend. Remain at P.; there you are safe. We are still
very calm here, awaiting with great composure the arrival of the
Prussians; but the devil will not be the loser thereby. Again
good-bye....