It has been concealed to preserve it from the iconoclasts.

There has been a lull of late in M.Gambetta's proclamations.

Within the last twenty-four hours, not above two fresh ones have appeared.

The newspapers are beginning to clamour for a sortie.

Why, they ask, are we to allow ourselves to be besieged by an army which does not equal in numbers our own?
Why are we to allow them quietly to establish their batteries?
There is a certain amount of sense in these complaints, though the vital question of how regiments, which have never had an opportunity of being brigaded together, will be able to vanquish in the open field the disciplined troops of Germany, is the unknown [Greek: x] in the problem which has yet to be solved.