The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-12-09 00:00:00

THE LAST DAYS OF ROSSEL.

The following are the final passages of the diary of
Rossel :
It was not for this morning. Yesterday, after
having read and written rather late, I rested a moment,
leaning on my table, thinking of nothing and ex-
periencing great relief. I went to sleep with difficulty,
and I was startled out of my sleep by shouts like those
exchanged by sentinels. The first shout seemed to me to
come from the sentinel of the external round; the last
from that of the gallery. I opened my eyes ; there
was a light like the first gleam of winter twilight. I
thought they were coming in search of us. Us
—that is, Ferro and myself. Strange partner.
ship ! Then I vaguely heard a distant clock strike two
in the morning. AS I tried to go to sleep again, the

cries recouunenced ; there were broken phrases' yells;
,this lasted unitil after three in the morning. I heard
my cell opea, then a tumult ; thrill the cries, more
distant, lastedsome tin* longer. These ungsgal noise.,
this interrupted half sleep. nuide we fereadt. I was
again awoke by the'rNeilleTtheir hyrneti—lrell d the
barracksi; then by each ring at the doer of the prison,
thinking every time that perhaps they were coming
for tlel. At lastj rrose atj ten o'clock. The tiovernor
of the prison came to see me ; he knows nothing yet,
and speaks of this and that eventuality; the man of
this night wala prisoner scized with au attack of mad-
ness.

- rive o'clock in the Evening.
The internal crisis I have under-.one since the day
before yesterday has much diminished in violence ; it
has even alumm pa.ssed away. Certainly this agi-
tated night has hastened the solution. I have occupied
my mind during part of the day with a mechanical
task which has certainly c. mtributed to calm it;
it leads to nothing ; it means nothing, but it gives
occupation and repose. The evening is much better
than yesterday, but I am going to bed early, for this
morning's sleep is too broken and interrupted. And
then after all I fear less to-day than yesterday to be
awakened to go to' the firing." 'mis morning there was •
reason; the Commission of Pardons had separated on Fri-
day after the departure of Al. Thiel% for Rouen; its
decrees could not, therefore, be executed on Saturday;
they will not execute me on Sunday, therefore the
immediate execution would be this morning. This
morning over, we return to arbitrary delays. M.
Palma paid me a nice visit • he is full of confidence.
ills letter having been Published by most of the papers,
he has received many congratulations. Public opinion
is changing he says. My poor father went at four o'clock
in the morning to his house with M. Amigues to ask for
"news." lie reassured them, and made M. Amigues
have a bed. My father went back to Paris at seven
o'clock in the morning and did not return until nearly
four o'clock. I was therefore, only able to see my
parents for a moment, for the evening was coming on
when they arrived. They ;seemed somewhat calmer.
The more delay there is, the more they hope. They
must fill the poor Governor with the wildest fears by
the warmth with which they embrace me. Yesterday
he thought he saw my mother slip something into
my pocket; he spoke about it to M. Passa, who re-
assured him. He is, however, as kind as can
be, but the feeling of responsibility slightly tem.
pers his confidence. Were Ito be dead when they
wanted to kill me, the action of the law would be ilii-
peded, and he would be answerable. I shall see
my parents tomorrow morning. These lent two
days have certainly steeled me. I will, under
any circumstances, note my last reflections upon
the military art. The body of 250 men—the Prus-
sian company—has good tactical qualities that I have
long disregarded. It is well adapted to the new
armament. lint the battalion of a thousand men
does not seem to me to have the same value, and
I much prefer our battalion of 700 men present
at the most. I have more than once been unjust
with regard to the merit of the Prussian armies in the
last war. lam still convinced that they might and
ought bi have been beaten, but it must be admitted
that they thoroughly understand the politics of war. a
science which is forgotten among us ; that they treat
the /wisely/4c with all the care it deserves, and thus
realise results worthy of being studied. lees no genius
in the List war, but an undoubted talent which would
have always presem ed them from falling so low and so
disgracefully as ourselves.
I. NATHANIEL ROSSEL.