"Has Monsieur le Baron heard the news--the great tidings ?" "No--we have heard nothing.

What is your news ?" "The King of Prussia has insulted the French Ambassador at Ems.

He struck him on the face, as it is said.

And war has been declared by the Emperor.

They are going to march to Berlin, Monsieur!" As he spoke two groups of men swaggered arm in arm along the street.
They were singing "Partant pour la Syrie," very much out of tune.
Others were crying "A Berlin--a Berlin!" Alphonse Giraud turned and looked at me with a sudden rush of colour in his cheeks.
"And I, who thought life a matter of coats and neckties," he said, with that quick recognition of his own error that first endeared him to me and made him the better man of the two.
We stood for a few minutes watching the excited groups of men on the Boulevard.