02Dec1867, French Troops All Cleared Out

ROME, December 2nd, 1867.
—The French troops all cleared out of the town to-day. According to the Contessa, they are a good deal stung by this state of things. One of the old officers said to her, "On nous envoie combattre pour cette prétraille, leur gagner les batailles ; ensuite, quand ils n'ont plus besoin de nous, ils nous disent : fichez votre camp !—c'est un joli role que nous avons joué là." There is some talk of disturbances now they are gone, but it doesn't seem likely that this degraded, unarmed people should be able to do anything against the large papal army ; and as for outsiders, the town walls and gates are regularly fortified.