The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-01

chUphlRn-DAzatD0 on the ROAD TO DEF
lin Froisssrd in Bavsrial Mcmahon on
the Bslticl In all this she asked my
counsel, and helped her as far as l
could, but it was the grandfather who
did the most for us in this imaginary in
vasion. He had conquered Germany SO
often during the First Empire! He knew
all the moves beforehand: Now they
should go there. This is what they will
do and his snticipations we're always
realized, not little to his pride. Un-
fortunately we might take towns and
| gain battles, but we never went fast
enough for the Colonel. He was insatiR-
BILE. Every day I was greeted with a
fresh feat Of arms:
Doctor, we have taken Mayence,' said
the yonng girl coming to meet me with a
heartrendmg smile, and through the
door I heard joyous voice crying:
awe are getting on, we are getting onl
In a week we shall enter Berlin
cat that moment the Prussiens were
but week from Paris. At first we
thought it might be better to move to
the provinces, but once out Of doors, the
state of the country would have told him
all, and I thought him still too weak,
too enervated, to know the truth. 1t was
therefore decided that they should stay
where they were.
"On the first day of the investment /
went to see my patient-much agitated. l
remember, and with that pang in my
heart which we all felt at knowing that
the gates of Paris were shut, that the war
was under our walls, that our suburbs
had become our frontiers.
81 found the old man jubilant and
proud.
"'Well,' said he, she siege has begunr
Il looked at him stupefed.
"'How, Colonel, you KNOW?
"His granddaughter turned to me,
oh, yes, Doctor, it is great news. The
siege of Berlin has commenced
"She said this composedly while draw
ing out her needle. How could he sus-
pect anything? He could not hear the
cannon nor see that unhappy Paris. SO
eullen and disorderly. All that he saw
from bis bed was calculated to keep up
his delusion. Outside was the Arc de
Triomphe, and in the room quite collec-
ton of souvenirs of the First Empire.
Portraits OF mar shals, engravings OF bat
ties, the King of Rome in his baby
robes: the stiff consoles, ornamented
with trophies in brass, were covered with
imperial relics, medals, bronzes; q stone
from st. Helena under a glass shade;
miniatures all representing the same be-
gown with leg-of-mutton sleeves and
light eyes; and all-the consoles, the
king OF Rome, the medals, the yellow
ladies with ehort waists and sashes under
their arms in that style of awkward stiff
ness which was the grace OF 1906. Good
Colonel It was this atmosphere of victo-
ry and conquest, rather than all we could
say, which made him believe so naively
In the siege of Berlin.
From that day our military operations
became much simpler. Taking Berlin
was merely matter of patience. Every
now and then, when the old man was
tired OF waiting. letter from his son was
read to him-an imaginary letter OF
course, as nothing could enter Paris, and
as, since Sedan, McMahon's aid de camp
had been sent to German fortress. Can
you not imagine the despair of the poor
girl, without tidings Of her father, know
ing him TO be q prisoner, deprived OF all
comforts, perhaps i'll, and yet obliged to
make him speak in cheerful letters,
somewhat short, as from'a soldier in the
field, always advancing in a conquered
country. Sometimes, when the invalid
was weaker than usual, weeks passed
without fresh news. But was he anxious
and unable to sleep, suddenly letter ar
rived from Germany which she read gal
ly at his bedside, struggling hard with
her tears. The Colonel listened religious
~, smiling with an air of superiority, ap-
proving, criticising, explaining; but it
was in the answers to his son that he
was at his best. Never forget that you
are Frenchman,' he wrote, be generous
to those poor people. Do not make the
invasion too hard for Them His advice
was never ending, edifying sermons
about respect of property, the politeness
due to ladies, in short quite code OF
military honor for the use of conquerors.
With all this, he put in some general re-
hschons on politics and the conditions OF
peace to be imposed on the vanquished
With regard to the latter, must say he
was not exacting:
"'The war indemnity and nothing else
1t is no good to take provinces. Can one
turn Germany into Frsnce?'
she dictated this with so firm voice
and one felt SO much sincerity in his
words, SO much patriotic faith, that il
was impossible to listen to him unmoved
meanwhile the siege went on not
the siege of Berlin, alasl We were at the
worst period of cold, of bomberdment, of
epidemic. of famine. But thanks to our
care, and the indefatigable tenderness
which surrounded him, the old mans SO.
renity was never for moment disturbed.
Up to the end was able to procure white
bread and fresh meat for him, but for
him only. You could not imagine any