The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-10-13
THE SIEGE OF PARIS.
rAlphonse Daudet.l


sions that stand magnihcently grouped
around the -de-Triomphe. 49,
"Do you see," said he to me, the four
windows with closed blinds up there along
the balcony? During the first days OF the
month of August, that terrible month OF the
wear 20. so laden with storms and disasters,
/ was called there to attend case OF ap-
oplexy of an extrayagantly aggravated type:
1t was at Colonel Jouve's cuirassler OF
the First Empire, an old fellow completely
carried away with his ideas of glory and
"At the breaking out of the war, he took
lodgings on the Champs Elysees, in an apart
ment opening on a balcony. Guess Wnyr
To be present at the triumphal return Oh our
troonsi Poor old man! The tidings from
Wissembourg reached him as he was leay NE
the table. When he reached the name OF Ma
poleon at the bottom of the bulletin report
ing the defeat, he fell as though struck ny
lightning. .;,. o+.otobod ont
his entire length on the carpet of his cham
her his face covered with blood and express
sionless. looking like one that had received
blow on the head from bludgeon. Wnen
Standing erect. he must have been very tall.
AS he Law now on the floor his proportions
anneared colossal. His features were hand
some. his teeth superb. Although eighty
wears of age, he seemed but sixty.
His granddaughter knelt in tears at MS
side. She resembled him. To see them both
together recalled to mind two beautiful
Greek medallions struck from the same die,
only the one ancient, mouldy, with It's con-
tours little effaced; the other resplendens
and sharply defined in all the brllllance ana
smoothness of a new impression. =,
| was touched by the suffering OF this child,
the daughter and granddaughter OF soldier.
Her father was attached to MaeManon
staff, and the image OF that grand old man
stretched before her suggested to her nina
another image not less terrible.
81 treasured her as well as l could; DuS, IN
reality, had very little hope. We had to do
with very fine hemiplegia, recovery from
which at the age OF eg9Y tbe pa ii re-
NAMED during three days in the same state
of stupor and immoblity.
In the meantime, the news of the battle OF
Reichshoffen arrived at Paris. You recol-
lect in what strange manner: Untli even
ing. we all believed we had gained victory,
twenty thousand. Prussans fallen, the crown
Prince prisoner, etc. cannotIeH ny WnaG
miracle, by what magnetic current, an echo
of the national joy sought out our poor deaI
mute in the limbo of his paralysis. 1t is GER
tain, however, that evening on approaching
fine he'd. / found no longer the same man.
The eye was almost clear, the tongue less
thick. He had strength enough to smile at
me and to stammer twice:
Victory!
yes, Colonel, a great yictoryp
According as gave him the details OF
MacMahon's splendid success, saw his tea-
lures relax his face brighten
When or wthdre SHE t Mes y Sae She
Standing before the door and was sobbing
but he is savedp | said to her, taking her
hands. -
The unhappy child had hardly courage
enough to answer me- me pni sat nm % M .ne
Mahon was in flight the entire army crushed.
We looked at each other in CONSERVATION:
She was grievously distressed, thinking Of
her father AS for me, trembled when l
Thought of the old man. 1t was very certain
he could not resist this new shock And
vet, what was TO be done? Leave MN ms
1oy. the illusions that had brought MN PACK
to lifeP But then it will be necessary TO Ne
Very well; will lie! said the heroic glrl;
wiping the tears quickly from her eyes, ana
she re-entered her grandfather's chamber
That was hard task for the young girl.
During the first few days.. 1t was easy
enough. The old gentleman's head was
weak and he allowed himself to be deceived
like child, but his ideas grew clearer VIII
the restoration of his heath. 1t was necessa-
nv to keep him informed OF the movements
Of the armies, and to prepare military pulie-
tins for him. 1t would have moved one 70
pity to see that beautiful child hanging over
her map of Germany night and day, prlcking
in it little flags, forcing herself to haven't Iie
combinations of a glorious campaign; pa
zaine, near Berlin, Frolssard III thiS ria
asked my advice, and | aided her to the pes
of INV ability: but the grandfather himself
was of especial service to us In TINS lmaglna
nv invasion. He had conquered Germany SC
often during the First Empire npp thas ne Aiie"
every strategic movement beforehand. mi,
Now. there is where they are going TheS
are going to do this o,,,
And his prescience turned out true every
time. circumstance that did not faii 10 MAKE
him very proud ,,o+
ties i'm vain. We could never go fast enough
for him. The veteran was Unsuitable. EacL
day on my arrival, l used to learn Oh some
new feat of arms. , A.,
Young girl would say, coming to meet me
with a heart breaking smile, and woule
hear a iubilant voice calling to me through
the door:
SAil goes WE'LL All goes WE'LL We will en-
ter Berlin in eight days.
Al that very moment the Prussians wer
not more than eight days march from Paris s
We asked ourselves at first II II were hoI PC.
ter to have him removed into the country
but outside he would soon learn HIM oe stili to
feeble. too shaken from the grieyous dow
LET him know the truth. 1t was, therefore
decided to remain. -.
The first day of the investment OF the cltj
visited them; | remember, much move
with that anguish of heart that the close
gates, the fighting under the walls, with th
suburbs for our frontiers, gave to US all.
found the worthy veteran jubilant an
proud: ,.,
WELL he said to me, that selge mas pegu
at last.
looked at him in amazement
How, Colonel you know?
His granddaughter turned reward me: IN,
'Ah! yes, doctor, it is great news. In
seige of Berlin has begun
She said this, plying her needle with an az
so tranquil and self-possessed. How coul
he suspect anything? He could not hear tn
cannon of the forts. He could not see IN Iii
unhappy Paris in her depreciation ana a la
traction. What he perceived from his be
was a part of the Arc-de-Trlomphe, an
around him. in his chamber. collectlon
bric-a-brac of the First Empire quite well 4
ted to keep up his illusions: Inc portTall
If marshals, engravings of battles, the XIII
Of Rome in his baby dress then the tall al
stiff-looking consuls, ornamented with tr
phaic brass and laden with Imperial rene
medals, bronzes, a piece OF rock from
Helena under globe, MINIATURES all Tepr
Sentipg the same frizzled dame in ball co
sumo, In yellow dress, with leg-of-muttC
sleeves and bright eyes; and everything, u
consuls, the King of Rome, the marshals, Il
yellow ladies with towering forms and hlt
waists was suggestive OF that AWKWARD SUI
ness that was the mode in 1906. Brave &C
OneI! 1t was this atmosphere OF vlctorl
and conquests still more than all we cou
tell him that made him believe so nalvely
the siege of Berlin.
From that day, our military operatlo
were very much simplifed To take Berl
was only matter of patience Now al
then when the old man felt himself too 10
spirited, letter used to be read from D
son, an imaginary letter of course, sin
nothing could enter Paris anywhere, al
after Sedan. MacMahon's aid-de-camp h;
been forwarded to a fortress in Germany.
Figure to yourself the despair of this pc
child without news from her father, kno'
ing him to be prisoner deprived of ever
thing, perhaps i'll, and compelled, at Il
same time. to make him speak in cheerf
letters, letters such as might be written by
soldier in full campaign Sometimes s.
lacked the strength for it, and weeks pass,
without any news. But the old man won
become restless and could not sleep. Thu
letter would arrive suddenly from &c
many, and holding back the tears, she wou
come to his bed and read it to him with
air of gayety:, The colonel would listen ]
cfiticise, and explain to us thu, difficult pr
sages. But he was especially fine in