the streets, reading the inscriptions on the flags : "Alsace-Lorraine ! Metz! Strasburg! Honour to M. Theirs, liberator of the territory! To the little bourgeois! To the great citizen! Vive la France! To Thiers the liberator! Vive la République! Honour and gratitude to M. Thiers! Hope!" etc., etc.!

The flag of Lorraine mixed here and there with the national flags, several of which-above all, those bearing the words Metz, Strasburg, and Alsace-were draped with black.

It was thus in all the towns evacuated in succession. Verdun remained last of the French towns in the hands of the army of occupation.

On September 5th, 1873, France had paid the last farthing of the heavy burden imposed on her by the conqueror. She was thus free nearly a year before the date fixed by the treaties.1

It was feared that Prince Bismarck might even yet at this last moment delay the evacuation of Verdun. He complained sharply of the "fussiness" of the mixed Commission at Strasburg, whose task was, however, very arduous indeed, and declared that he would subordinate the departure of the German troops to the settlement of all the difficulties pending between the two Governments. "There must be an end to this," he wrote to Manteuffel, "if the terms of the peace are to be fulfilled." Without other aggressive intentions, the chancellor was not sorry to irritate the French Government, and to keep it in a state of anxiety.'

I See the note published on the subject of this payment by the Journal Officiel of September 9, 1873.

2 Letters of M. de Saint-Vallier to the Duc de Broglie of September 5th and 10th. See H. Doniol, pp. 416 and 417.

The Duc de Broglie gave orders to the French Commissioners to bring themselves promptly into agreement with their German colleagues for the break-up of the Commission. An understanding was arrived at on the 6th of September for the settlement of the second account of the liquidation. France would have to pay Germany a balance of two million nine hundred thousand francs. This was to be paid on September 15th, in bank notes. The Commissioners at last signed the protocol, closing their business. There was nothing more to settle except the reimbursements to be paid to the communes for requisitions made by the German Staffs during the war. There again, thanks to the good will of General von Manteuffel, a settlement was made. It was agreed that the treasury of the army of occupation should immediately pay claims regularly produced, and that those which should be produced afterwards should be charged to France. General von Manteuffel paid under this head from the special finance department at Verdun, a sum of about two million francs.

Finally, on September 8th, the final movement of withdrawal of the German troops began.1

Verdun was evacuated on the 13th. "It was half-past eight; all the shops were shut; the town seemed to be still asleep; but inside each house every one was up, awaiting a signal. Soon a dull sound, like that of an army on the march, rolled from la Roche through our streets towards the Porte-Chaussée. The Prussians were departing. The last files of their column were still pressing the drawbridge with their heavily cadenced steps, when the

1 Valfrey, pp. 211-13.

national flag was hoisted on the towers of the Cathedral, the big bells of which sounded a full peal at the same moment, declaring the hour of deliverance; the peal was taken up by all the bells in the town. "This was the awaited signal. Every house flew flags, as if one single hand was hoisting at the same moment those thousands of flags which spread their tricolor folds to the wind.

"Windows, shops, doors, opened. The crowd rushed into the streets; people shook hands, congratulating each other. The enemy had gone at last! The gendarmerie mobile took their places at the gates.

"A few days later the Staff and two battalions of the 94th line regiment arrived.

"At 11.45 a special train entered the station : French soldiers appeared at the windows of the carriages an indescribable tremor ran through the whole of the crowd. The soldiers, on alighting, quickly drew up in order in front of the station. The regimental colours were unfolded. A formidable shout of 'Vive la France!' escaped from all breasts. The excitement was at its height tears flowed from many eyes. A bouquet offered by the ladies of the town to the gallant Colonel Isnard was fastened by him to the staff of the colours.

"At the gate of France, the gendarme on duty marched to meet the regiment as far as the advanced guard. 'Halt! who goes there ? ' 'France.'

'What regiment?

please."

"For three years we had not heard this short dialogue ! "

VOL. II.

1

1 Oswald Leroy, Nancy au jour le jour.

113

I

On the 16th of September, early in the morning, six days before the expiration of the fortnight fixed by the treaty, General von Manteuffel went out of France with the remainder of the army of occupation. A little beyond the villages of Jarny and Conflans, the French flag floated on the frontierpost. The General saluted it with his sword and re-entered Germany.

On the following day the Journal Officiel published at the head of its "non-official portion non-official portion" the following communication: "Versailles, September 16th. Conflans and Jarny, the last localities occupied, were evacuated this morning at seven o'clock. At nine o'clock the German troops crossed the frontier. The territory is entirely freed."

The enemy had occupied the soil of France for three years.

CHAPTER III

THE MONARCHICAL CAMPAIGN

I.-Hopes of the Monarchists after May 24th-The Comte de Paris at Frohsdorf-Reconciliation of the two branches of the House of Bourbon-Differences between Orleanists and Legitimists.

II. The country and the monarchical campaign-Meeting of the Permanent Committee, August 25th-Question by the Duc d'Audiffret-Pasquier on the possibility of the RestorationMission of MM. Merveilleux du Vignaux and de Sugny to Frohsdorf-Note from the Comte de Chambord to M. Ernoul and letter from the same to M. de Rodez-Bénavent-Meeting of the Permanent Committee, September 25th-A meeting of the executive of the four groups of the Right is fixed for October 4th-Combier mission to Frohsdorf.

Liberated France looks for her New

TH

I

HE territory was now free; the war of 1870 and its fatal consequences Political belonged henceforth to history. France, System though mutilated, was coming back to life; but she had not yet recovered her domestic balance; she did not yet know the system under which she was to be organised in order to lead the new and narrower life to which her defeat had reduced her.

Events followed one another: the same weeks which saw the liberation of the territory witnessed the crisis which ruined the last hopes of the