Mushrooms dressed in two ways were the first dish after the soup. “These must be eaten in a thoughtful spirit,” said the Chief, “as they are a present from some soldiers who found them growing in a quarry or a cellar. The cook has made an excellent sauce for them. A still more welcome gift, and certainly a rare one, was made to me the other day by the--what a shame! I have quite forgotten. What regiment was it sent me the roses?” “The 46th,” replied Bohlen. “Yes; it was a bouquet of roses plucked under fire, probably in a garden near the outposts.” “By the way, that reminds me that I met a Polish soldier in the hospital who cannot read German. He would very much like to have a Polish prayer book. Does anybody happen to have something of that kind?” Alten said no, but he could give him some Polish newspapers. The Chief: “That won’t do. He would not understand them, and besides they stir up the people against us. But perhaps Radziwill has something. A Polish novel would do--_Pan Twardowski_ or something of that kind.” Alten promised to see if he could get anything. Mention was made of Ducrot, who in all likelihood commanded the French forces engaged in to-day’s sortie, and it was suggested he had good reason not to allow himself to be made prisoner. “Certainly,” said the Minister. “He will either get himself killed in action; or if he has not courage enough for that, which I am rather inclined to believe, he will make off in a balloon.” Some one said Prince Wittgenstein (if I am not mistaken, a Russian aide-de-camp) would also be glad to leave Paris. Alten added: “Yes, in order that he might go in again. I fancy it is a kind of sport for him.” The Chief: “That might be all very well for a person who inspired confidence. But I never trusted him, and when he wished to return to Paris recently, neither I nor the general staff wanted to let him through. He succeeded in obtaining permission surreptitiously through the good nature of the King. Never mind. Possibly things may yet be discovered about him that will ruin him in St. Petersburg.”