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Whatever the cause, the Germans gained six days,' which Von

Moltke appears to have applied thus. The Crown Prince, stopping his march on Paris, turned slowly north, not to catch MacMahon, but to cut off his retreat, and by the 29th was in a position to attack an army flying towards Sedan, with two corps, the 5th and 11th, say 60,000 men, supported, of course, by the remainder of his army, if need should arise. From subsequent events, it is clear that he must have been perfectly informed of MacMahon's object; of the measures taken at Metz to defeat it, and of the probability of those measures succeeding. Paris was also informed, and rejoiced in his swerve as a " check " caused by MacMahon.

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