I must congratulate my friends here upon the astounding ingenuity which they show in discovering pretexts to avoid military service.

It is as difficult to get them outside the inner ramparts as it is to make an old fox break cover.

In vain huntsman Trochu and his first whip, Ducrot, blow their horns, and crack their whips; the wily reynard, after putting his nose outside his retreat, heads back, and makes for inaccessible fastnesses, with which long habit has made him familiar.
That General Trochu will be able to beat the Prussians no one supposes; but if he can manage to get even 5,000 of the heroes who have for the last two months been professing a wish to die for the honour of their country under fire, he will have accomplished a most difficult feat.
For the last few days the newspapers, one and all, have been filled with details of the negotiations which were supposed to be going on at Versailles.

Russia, it was said, had forwarded an ultimatum to the King of Prussia, threatening him with a declaration of war in case he persisted in besieging Paris, or in annexing any portion of French territory.

Yesterday morning the _Journal Officiel_ contained an announcement that the Government knew absolutely nothing of these negotiations.