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21 June 1871 — Paris | |
Wednesday. 21st [June 1871]. We breakfasted at 10 & at 11 got into the carriage Antoine had hired for us & we drove to Versailles by way of St Cloud– There the state of things was most piteous—every house was entirely ruined & in one spot by the church there was scarcely a wall left of any house– In some places where the destruction was not so complete it was curious to see an open cupboard with its plates & cups—or a kitchen stove with the saucepans & pots as if the inhabitants had been surprised while preparing their food & these things remained perched up in the air just clinging to one wall. In the parks of St Cloud & Versailles quantities of trees had been cut down & we saw where the Prussians were & where the Versaillais are encamped. It was quite picturesque to see the encampment in the trees. We also came upon a band of Communist prisoners being taken to Versailles. They were mostly in blouses & on foot & were guarded by soldiers on horseback with their guns cocked ready to fire at any who attempted to escape. We arrived at Lord Lyon’s lodging 3no 17 Rue des Reservoirs abt 1 o’cl: He came a ¼ hour later & he & Henry went off at once to see Jules Favre. While I waited & read the papers. At abt 3 they returned & we went to the Assembly—but there was a long business over some voting & nothing interesting was expected so that we did not stay more than ¼ hour. The Chambers is now held in the Louis XVI theatre which is very pretty altho’ of course it is not intended for daylight. We then went to a Café & got some lunch & then went to walk in the gardens of Versailles. It soon came on to rain so we were driven in. There was a distant thunderstorm after wh it seemed to be clearing so Henry & I went to look at the mitrailleuse & all the new guns wh are drawn up in the square in front of the Palace & then went back to Lord Lyons & dined with him & after Henry & he had been to see Thiers we went back to Paris. It had been raining a good deal & so we met hardly any one on the road & it was very dark. We returned by Sevres & Passy– In the Rue de Rivoli there was not a soul to be seen & not a carriage as far as one could see & the town appeared quite deserted & in the Rue de Rivoli only every 5th gas lamp was lighted. We got home abt 11½ had some tea & went to bed. | |
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