asked his chief cellarer what they cost per bottle. “Twelve florins,” was the answer. “Well then,” said Metternich, “send these six bottles back to Baron Rothschild when he gives his next order, but charge him fifteen florins a piece for them then, as they will have grown older by that time.” _Tuesday, October 4th._--In the forenoon again called to the Chief Bucher, Councillor of Embassy; and Wiehr, a decipherer, arrived after lunch. Bucher appears to have been summoned here in order to replace Abeken, who has been ill and ought to have gone home, but who has now nearly recovered. No one could have filled his place better than Bucher, who is unquestionably the best informed, most intelligent and unprejudiced of all the principal workers by whom the Chief is surrounded, and who help to propagate his ideas. In the evening the Chancellor talked about Moltke, remarking how gallantly he had attacked the punch bowl on a recent occasion, and in what excellent spirits he was. “I have not seen him looking so well for a long time past. That is the result of the war. It is his trade. I remember, when the Spanish question became acute, he looked ten years younger. Afterwards, when I told him that the Hohenzollern had withdrawn, he suddenly looked quite old and infirm. And when the French showed their teeth again ‘Molk’ was once more fresh and young. The matter finally ended in a _diner à trois_--Molk, Roon and I--which resulted (here the Chancellor smiled a cunning smile) in the Ems telegram.” We start early to-morrow morning, as we have a long journey to make. Our next halt will be at Versailles. CHAPTER IX THE JOURNEY TO VERSAILLES--MADAME JESSE’S HOUSE, AND OUR LIFE THERE We left Ferrières about 7 o’clock on the morning of the 5th of October. At first we drove along by-roads, which were however in excellent condition, passing a large wood, several parks and châteaux and a number of respectable villages that appeared to be entirely deserted by their inhabitants and were now occupied solely by German soldiers. Everywhere an appearance of exceptional prosperity. Later on we reached a pontoon bridge decorated with the Prussian colours, which took us over the Seine. On the other side we met the Crown Prince and his suite, who had ridden out to welcome the King. The latter, accompanied by the Chancellor, was to proceed from this point on horseback to a review of troops. We then drove on alone, turning into a high road which led to the village of Villeneuve le Roi. I had long been looking forward to my first glimpse of Paris. It was however out off on the right by a rather high range of wooded hills, on the sides of which we now and then, noticed a village or small white town. At length we come to an opening, a little valley, and we observe the blue outline of a great cupola--the Pantheon! Hurrah! we are at last outside Paris.