Part 51 (1/2)

InI shall take various i others, _Paris Besieged_ and the poem ”Grand Pere”

February 13--Yesterday, before dinner, I read to uests, M and Mme

Paul Meurice, Vacquerie, Lockroy, M and Mme Ernest Lefevre, Louis Koch and Vilain (Rochefort and Victor did not arrive until the dinner hour), two pieces of poetry which will fored (”To Little Jeanne,” and ”No, You will not Take Alsace and Lorraine”)

Pelleport broughtyet been proclaio, proprietor,” as the Prussians require that the quality or profession of the holder of the pass be stated

It ith a heavy heart that I quitted thisthe Avenue Frochot and the sweet hospitality that Paul Meurice had extended to me since my arrival in Paris on September 5

THE assEMBLY AT BORDEAUX EXTRACTS FROM NOTE-BOOKS

February 14--Left yesterday at 1210 PM Arrived at Etampes at 315

Wait of two hours, and luncheon

After lunch we returned to our drawing-room car A crowd surrounded it, kept back by a squad of Prussian soldiers The crowd recognised o!” I wavedlive France!” Whereupon a man with a white moustache, who somebody said was the Prussian co air and said so tosteadily in turn at this Prussian and the crowd, I repeated in a louder voice: ”Long live France'!” Thereat all the people shouted enthusiastically: ”Long live France!” The fellow looked angry but said nothing The Prussian soldiers did notand weary one The drawing-roohted and not heated One feels the dilapidation of France in this wretched railway accoht a pheasant, a chicken, and two bottles of wine for supper Then rapped ourselves up in our rugs and cloaks and slept on the seats

We arrived at Bordeaux at 130 this afternoon We went in search of lodgings We took a cab and drove from hotel to hotel No room anywhere

I went to the Hotel de Ville and asked for information I was told that there was an apartment to let at M A Porte's, 13, Rue Saint Maur, near the public garden We went there Charles hired the apartment for 600 francs a month and paid half a month's rent in advance Then we started out in search of a lodging for us, but could not get one At 7 o'clock we returned to the station to fetch our trunks, and not knohere we should pass the night We went back to the Rue Saint Maur, where Charles is, negotiated with the landlord and his brother, who had a couple of rooement at last

Alice s to us We were thirteen at table every Thursday in January We left Paris on February 13 There were thirteen of us in the railway carriage, counting Louis Blanc, M Bechet and the two children

We are lodging at 13, Rue Saint Maur!”

February 15--At 2 o'clock I went to the asse reat square The people, and the National Guards who lined the approaches to the building, shouted: ”Long live Victor Hugo!” I replied: ”Long live the Republic!

Long live France!” They repeated this double cry Then the enthusiasm became delirium It was a repetition of the ovation I met with on e in a cafe at the corner of the square I explained in a speech why I did not address the people, then I escaped--that is the word--in a carriage

While the enthusiastic people shouted ”Long live the Republic!” the members of the assembly issued and filed past impassible, almost furious, and with their hats on, in thecaps about me

Visit from Representatives Le Flo, Rochefort, Locroy, Alfred Naquet, Eene Pelletan, and Noel Parfait

I slept inat 37, Rue de la Course

February 16--At the assembly today the result of the Paris elections was proclaimed Louis Blanc was first with 216,000 votes; then came myself with 214,000 votes, then Garibaldi with 200,000