letter　from　the　Emperor　to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　At　this　the　King；
  followed　by　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　and　Von　Roon；　walked　out　to　the
  front　a　little　distance　and　halted；　his　Majesty　still　in　advance；　the
  rest　of　us　meanwhile　forming　in　a　line　some　twenty　paces　to　the　rear
  of　the　group。　　The　envoy　then　approached；　at　first　on　horseback；　but
  when　within　about　a　hundred　yards　he　dismounted；　and　uncovering；　came
  the　remaining　distance　on　foot；　bearing　high　up　in　his　right　hand　the
  despatch　from　Napoleon。　　The　bearer　proved　to　be　General　Reille；　and
  as　he　handed　the　Emperor's　letter　to　the　King；　his　Majesty　saluted
  him　with　the　utmost　formality　and　precision。　　Napoleon's　letter　was
  the　since　famous　one；　running　so　characteristically；　thus：　〃Not
  having　been　able　to　die　in　the　midst　of　my　troops；　there　is　nothing
  left　me　but　to　place　my　sword　in　your　Majesty's　hands。〃　The　reading
  finished；　the　King　returned　to　his　former　post；　and　after　a
  conference　with　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　and　Von　Roon；　dictated　an
  answer　accepting　Napoleon's　surrender；　and　requesting　him　to
  designate　an　officer　with　power　to　treat　for　the　capitulation　of　the
  army；　himself　naming　Von　Moltke　to　represent　the　Germans。　　The　King
  then　started　for　Vendresse；　to　pass　the　night。　　It　was　after
  7　o'clock　now；　and　hence　too　late　to　arrange　anything　more　where　we
  were；　so　further　negotiations　were　deferred　till　later　in　the
  evening；　and　I；　wishing　to　be　conveniently　near　Bismarck；　resolved　to
  take　up　quarters　in　Donchery。　　On　our　way　thither　we　were　met　by　the
  Count's　nephew；　who　assuring　us　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　find
  shelter　there　in　the　village；　as　all　the　houses　were　filled　with
  wounded；　Forsyth　and　I　decided　to　continue　on　to　Chevenge。　　On　the
  other　hand；　Bismarck…Bohlen　bore　with　him　one　great　comfortsome
  excellent　brandy。　　Offering　the　flask　to　his　uncle；　he　said：　〃You've
  had　a　hard　day　of　it；　won't　you　refresh　yourself？〃　　The　Chancellor；
  without　wasting　time　to　answer；　raised　the　bottle　to　his　lips；
  exclaiming：　〃Here's　to　the　unification　of　Germany！〃　which　sentiment
  the　gurgling　of　an　astonishingly　long　drink　seemed　to　emphasize。　　The
  Count　then　handed　the　bottle　back　to　his　nephew；　who；　shaking　it；
  ejaculated；　〃Why；　we　can't　pledge　you　in　returnthere　is　nothing
  left！〃　to　which　came　the　waggish　response；　I　beg　pardon；　it　was　so
  dark　I　couldn't　see〃；　nevertheless　there　was　a　little　remaining；　as　I
  myself　can　aver。
  Having　left　our　carriage　at　Chevenge；　Forsyth　and　I　stopped　there　to
  get　it；　but　a　long　search　proving　fruitless；　we　took　lodging　in　the
  village　at　the　house　of　the　cure；　resolved　to　continue　the　hunt　in
  the　morning。　　But　then　we　had　no　better　success；　so　concluding　that
  our　vehicle　had　been　pressed　into　the　hospital　service；　we　at　an
  early　hour　on　the　2d　of　September　resumed　the　search；　continuing　on
  down　the　road　in　the　direction　of　Sedan。　　Near　the　gate　of　the　city
  we　came　on　the　German　picket…line；　and　one　of　the　Officers；
  recognizing　our　uniformshe　having　served　in　the　war　of　the
  rebellionstepped　forward　and　addressed　me　in　good　English。　　We
  naturally　fell　into　conversation；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　there　came
  out　through　the　gate　an　open　carriage；　or　landau；　containing　two　men；
  one　of　whom；　in　the　uniform　of　a　general　and　smoking　a　cigarette；　we
  recognized；　when　the　conveyance　drew　near；　as　the　Emperor　Louis
  Napoleon。　　The　landau　went　on　toward　Donchery　at　a　leisurely　pace；
  and　we；　inferring　that　there　was　something　more　important　at　hand
  just　then　than　the　recovery　of　our　trap；　followed　at　a　respectful
  distance。　　Not　quite　a　mile　from　Donchery　is　a　cluster　of　three　or
  four　cottages；　and　at　the　first　of　these　the　landau　stopped　to　await；
  as　we　afterward　ascertained；　Count　Bismarck；　with　whom　the　diplomatic
  negotiations　were　to　be　settled。　　Some　minutes　elapsed　before　he
  came；　Napoleon　remaining　seated　in　his　carriage　meantime；　still
  smoking；　and　accepting　with　nonchalance　the　staring　of　a　group　of
  German　soldiers　near　by；　who　were　gazing　on　their　fallen　foe　with
  curious　and　eager　interest。
  Presently　a　clattering　of　hoofs　was　heard；　and　looking　toward　the
  sound；　I　perceived　the　Chancellor　cantering　down　the　road。　　When
  abreast　of　the　carriage　he　dismounted；　and　walking　up　to　it；　saluted
  the　Emperor　in　a　quick；　brusque　way　that　seemed　to　startle　him。
  After　a　word　or　two；　the　party　moved　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　further
  on；　where　they　stopped　opposite　the　weaver's　cottage　so　famous　from
  that　day。　　This　little　house　is　on　the　east　side　of　the　Donchery
  road；　near　its　junction　with　that　to　Frenois；　and　stands　about　twenty
  paces　back　from　the　highway。　　In　front　is　a　stone　wall　covered　with
  creeping　vines；　and　from　a　gate　in　this　wall　runs　to　the　front　door　a
  path；　at　this　time　bordered　on　both　sides　with　potato　vines。
  The　Emperor　having　alighted　at　the　gate；　he　and　Bismarck　walked
  together　along　the　narrow　path　and　entered　the　cottage。　　Reappearing
  in　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　came　out　and　seated　themselves　in
  the　open　air；　the　weaver　having　brought　a　couple　of　chairs。　　Here
  they　engaged　in　an　animated　conversation；　if　much　gesticulation　is
  any　indication。　　The　talk　lasted　fully　an　hour；　Bismarck　seeming　to
  do　most　of　it；　but　at　last　he　arose；　saluted　the　Emperor；　and　strode
  down　the　path　toward　his　horse。　　Seeing　me　standing　near　the　gate；　he
  joined　me　for　a　moment；　and　asked　if　I　had　noticed　how　the　Emperor
  started　when　they　first　met；　and　I　telling　him　that　I　had；　he　added；
  〃Well；　it　must　have　been　due　to　my　manners；　not　my　words；　for　these
  we're；　〃I　salute　your　Majesty　just　as　I　would　my　King。〃　　Then　the
  Chancellor　continued　to　chat　a　few　minutes　longer；　assuring　me　that
  nothing　further　was　to　be　done　there；　and　that　we　had　better　go　to
  the　Chateau　Bellevue；　where；　he　said；　the　formal　surrender　was　to
  take　place。　　With　this　he　rode　off　toward　Vendresse　to　communicate
  with　his　sovereign；　and　Forsyth　and　I　made　ready　to　go　to　the　Chateau
  Bellevue。
  Before　we　set　out；　however；　a　number　of　officers　of　the　King's　suite
  arrived　at　the　weaver's　cottage；　and　from　them　I　gathered　that　there
  were　differences　at　the　royal　headquarters　as　to　whether　peace　should
  be　made　then　at　Sedan；　or　the　war　continued　till　the　French　capital
  was　taken。　　I　further　heard　that　the　military　advisers　of　the　King
  strongly　advocated　an　immediate　move　on　Paris；　while　the　Chancellor
  thought　it　best　to　make　peace　now；　holding　Alsace　and　Lorraine；　and
  compelling　the　payment　of　an　enormous　levy　of　money；　and　these　rumors
  were　most　likely　correct；　for　I　had　often　heard　Bismarck　say　that
  France　being　the　richest　country　in　Europe；　nothing　could　keep　her
  quiet　but　effectually　to　empty　her　pockets；　and　besides　this；　he
  impressed　me　as　holding　that　it　would　be　better　policy　to　preserve
  the　Empire。
  On　our　way　to　the　chateau　we　fell　in　with　a　number　of　artillery
  officers　bringing　up　their　guns　hurriedly　to　post　them　closer　in　to
  the　beleaguered　town　on　a　specially　advantageous　ridge。　　Inquiring
  the　cause　of　this　move；　we　learned　that　General　Wimpffen　had　not　yet
  agreed　to　the　terms　of　surrender；　that　it　was　thought　he　would　not；
  and　that　they　wanted　to　be　prepared　for　any　such　contingency。　　And
  they　were　preparing　with　a　vengeance　too；　for　I　counted　seventy…two
  Krupp　guns　in　one　continuous　line　trained　on　the　Chateau　Bellevue　and
  Sedan。
  Napoleon　went　directly　from　the　weaver's　to　the　Chateau　Bellevue；　and
  about　10　o'clock　the　King　of　Prussia　arrived　from　Frenois；
  accompanied　by　a　few　of　his　own　suite　and　the　Crown　Prince　with
  several　members　of　his　staff；　and　Von　Moltke　and　Wimpffen　having
  settled　their　points　of　difference　before　the　two　monarchs　met；
  within　the　next　half…hour　the　articles　of　capitulation　were　formally
  signed。
  On　the　completion　of　the　surrenderthe　occasion　being　justly
  considered　a　great　onethe　Crown　Prince　proceeded　to　distribute
  among　the　officers　congregated　in　the　chateau　grounds　'the　order　of
  the　Iron　Cross'a　generous　supply　of　these　decorations　being　carried
  in　a　basket　by　one　of　his　orderlies；　following　him　about　as　he　walked
  along。　　Meantime　the　King；　leaving　Napoleon　in　the　chateau　to
  ruminate　on　the　fickleness　of　fortune；　drove　off　to　see　his　own
  victorious　soldiers；　who　greeted　him　with　huzzas　that　rent　the　air；
  and　must　have　added　to　the　pangs　of　the　captive　Emperor。
  CHAPTER　XIX。
  RIDING　OVER　THE　BATTLEFIELDDESTRUCTION　OF　BAZEILLESMISTAKES　OF
  THE　FRENCHMARSHAL　BAZAINE　ON　TO　PARISA　WEEK　IN　MEAUXRHEIMSON
  THE　PICKETLINE…UNDER　FIREA　SURRENDERAT　VERSAILLESGENERAL
  BURNSIDE　AND　Mr。　FORBES　IN　PARIS。
  The　Crown　Prince　having　got　to　the　bottom　of　his　medal　basket…that　is
  to　say；　having　finished　his　liberal　distribution　of　decorations　to
  his　officersForsyth　and　I　rode　off　by　way　of　Wadelincourt　to
  Bazeilles　to　see　what　had　taken　place　on　that　part　of　the　field；　and
  the　sight　that　met　our　eyes　as　we　entered　the　village　was　tr