The weather is heavenly. The two chestnut-trees in our front courtyard are in full flower; the few plants in the greenhouse are all putting out buds. Where shall we be when the buds become flowers?
Last year at this time it was the height of the giddiest of giddy seasons.
One can hardly believe it is the same Paris.
My father-in-law feels very bad that I did not leave when I still had the chance. So do I,… but now it is too late. I must stay till the bitter end, and no doubt the end will be bitter: battle, murder, and sudden death, and all the things we pray against in the Litany.
Dombrowski has failed in his sortie to St. Cloud.
18th May.—It seems that the Communards wish all France to adopt their gentle methods, and they believe and hope that Communism will reign supreme over the country.
Rigault, to prove what an admirable government France has, yesterday issued the decree to arrest a mass of people. No one knows exactly why, except that he wishes to show how great his power is. He wants the Commune to finish in fire and flame as a funeral pile. I hope he will be on the top of it, like Sardanapalus, and suffer the most. Horrible man!
I received a letter from Mr. Mallet this morning, inclosing an invitation to assist at a concert given by all the musiques militaires à Paris on the Place de la Concorde, and offering a ticket for two places on the terrace of the Tuileries. The idea of these creatures on the brink of annihilation, death, and destruction giving a concert! If it were not so tragic it would really be laughable.
DEAR LADY,—I wish I could bring you this extraordinary document de viva persona; but I do not like to leave the embassy, even for a short time. Lascelles and I are well, but very anxious. You will notice that this invitation is for the 21st. Our friends evidently think we will be pleasantly attuned to music on that day. They are as mad as March hares; they will be asking us to dance at Mazas next…. Hoping you are not as depressed as we are, Yours, E. MALLET.
Just as I had finished reading the above we heard a tremendous explosion.
Louis said it was l'École Militaire, which was to be blown up to-day.
What are we coming to?
Louis and I ventured to go up to the third story, and we put our heads out of one of the small windows. We saw the bombs flying over our heads like sea-gulls. All the sky was dimmed with black smoke, but we could not see if anything was burning, though we hear that the Tuileries is on fire and all the public buildings are being set fire to.