Can it possibly be that I am over-credulous?
Am I wrong, too, in believing that France is rising _en masse_, that Moltke did not understand his business in advancing on Paris, and that he will be crushed by the armies of the Loire and a dozen other places--if, indeed, our gallant heroes congregated in Paris give their brethren outside time to share in the triumph of defeating him?
_En attendant_, we eat, drink, and are reasonably merry; our defenders mount guard, and drill when they are off guard.

Our wary Mobiles outside not only refuse to allow Prussians to pass, but such is their vigilance, they generally arrest officers of any regiment except their own who come within their ken.

These worthy fellows will, I believe, fight with bravery.

The working men, too, are engaged in heaping up barricades, and are ready to allow themselves to be killed and their landlords' houses to be blown up rather than surrender.

The sailors in the forts are prepared to hold them like ships against all comers.