started, under a strong Prussian escort, for Wilhelmshöhe. At his own request he was taken via Belgium, not wishing, under the humiliating circumstances in which he was placed, to pass through French territory. The Emperor's meeting with Comte Clary at Verviers, and his disappointment at not seeing his son there, have already been noted. The Imperial prisoner, who was allowed a large retinue of his own household, reached Wilhelmshöhe on the 5th of September, and was received with the same marks of respect as though he were still in power. As he passed into the castle the guards presented arms, whilst every possible arrangement had been made by his Conqueror for his comfort and convenience. Worn out, however, in body and mind, the Emperor was for some days prostrate, whilst the anxiety to know how it fared with the Empress and his son deprived him of rest. It was a week before he learnt of their safety, and not until events had arrived at a climax in Paris, and the Empress been obliged to flee from France for very life's sake. We must, however, take a brief sketch of the course of events in Paris, from the period the Emperor left St. Cloud to join the army at Metz, to the time which saw him the prisoner of the King of Prussia at Wilhelmshöhe and the Empress a fugitive from Paris. 161 CHAPTER X. THE EMPRESS REGENT. "Lo! crush'd she lies, who once, of all the earth Her eyes, that brilliant as twin stars in cloudless sky WE must now return to the Empress Regent's position at Paris, the difficulties of which it would be impossible to exaggerate, and who exhibited a firmness and courage in her hour of trial which deserves the highest encomium. When defeat instead of victory occurred to the army, the Regent was the first person attacked, and there were many who threw the blame of the war on her alone, saying "she had forced it on the Emperor." Nothing, however, in writing or from the mouth of any dependable witness, has ever transpired to M confirm such a view. The war was the logical consequence of that of 1866, and the feelings then aroused in France against Prussia. That it was both imprudent and unwise no one questions, but the matter was fully discussed in both the French Senate and Corps Législatif, and therefore the responsibility cannot be attached to any one person. That the Empress was grieved to part with her husband and son, and yet bent to the necessity, is shown from the following letter to her mother, the Comtesse Montijo : "Louis goes in a few days to the war with his father. I beg you will send him your blessing first. Do not be anxious about him, he must learn to support the duties and the honour of his name. "St. Cloud, July, 1870." "EUGÈNIE. The first news of the reverse of the French arms reached the Empress through the following telegram from the Emperor: "Le Maréchal MacMahon a perdu une bataille sur la Sarre. Le Général Frossard a été obligé de se rétirer. La rétraite s'opère en bon ordre; tout peut se rétablir." That day, 8th August, 1870, at eleven a.m., all France learnt the news of its first disaster, the Empress causing the following proclamation to be placarded: "Frenchmen, the fortunes of war have not been favourable. Our arms have received a check. Be strong, however, under this reverse, and let us hasten to repair it." The French people, ever either elated or cast down, at once took the gloomiest view of the position. A cabinet council was called, and M. Ollivier telegraphed to the Emperor that its unanimous opinion was that the Prince Imperial should at once be recalled. To this telegram the Empress added in cipher, "For reasons I cannot here explain, I wish Louis to remain with the army." Before the Emperor left Paris, the Republican party had been strong in the Chambers, and they now took advantage of the moment when dissatisfaction was rife to push forward their own ambitious views, and contentious voices were heard suggesting the Emperor's resignation of the command of the army, &c. On the 9th of August, M. Schneider, the Ministre de l'Intérieur, while reading a decree of convocation after a special sitting of the House, omitted the name of the Regent, whilst the timorous who dared not as yet attack the Emperor, condemned Marshal Le Boeuf, General Failly, and General Frossard, demanding their resignation, and accusing them as the cause of the disasters. These reports came to the Empress's ears, and she wrote to the Emperor the position of things, begging him to consult Marshal Bazaine, in whom alone the people showed confidence. M. Ollivier also wrote, to say that Dejean was not trusted, and if the Government did not take the initiative, the House would be broken up, and begging the Emperor to authorize him to nominate General Trochu, adding, "If you do not, public opinion will." This was a significant act. General Trochu was very popular for several reasons; first, he had been averse to the war; second, he had written a work called "L'Armée en 1867," in which he had exposed its maladministration; and on the 7th of August, M. Ollivier had called the General to act as Minister of War, but he had declined, saying "his acceptance could not retard the disruption of the Cabinet; whilst, if obliged to explain his views of the position, he should only compromise instead of serve the Government." On the 9th August, a special meeting of the Corps Législatif was called; whilst sitting, it was surrounded by crowds, in the midst of which were a handful only of unarmed National Guards. At this sitting, Marshal Baraguay D'Hilliers, was made Governor of Paris, by virtue of the law of "L'Etat du Siége," and he surrounded the city at once by a cordon of troops. Outside the Corps Légis latif, the overthrow of the Ministry was loudly called for, and also that the National Guard should be armed; while protests against the Emperor followed. "He promised peace, and in a week he has plunged us in war.--He said we were ready, and |