Paris at Bay. By Herbert Haynes. (Blackie and Son.)—The story
begins with Sedan, or, rather, with the attack of the Bavarians under Von der Tann on Bazeilles, for the catastrophe of Sedan occupies, in one way or another, chaps. 2-5. In the sixth the hero, or, we should say, one of the heroes, finds himself again in Paris, and is present at the fall of the Empire. So events move on ; we have the siege of the French capital; then the develop- ment of the Commune ; and the interest of the story culminates in the terrible struggle between the Versaillists and the men who followed the red flag. Mr. Haynes holds the balance with com- mendable impartiality. He loves to describe a good soldier on whichever side he may fight. In addition to the historical interest of the period—and it would be difficult to find nine months more crowded with incident than those which began with September, 1870, and ended with May, 1871—there is a well-contrived tale of individual fortunes. Altogether Paris at Bay is a story of more than average merit.
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