nking, slowly dying, despite his determination not to know the evil
news.

While matters were in this condition at one end of the house Delaherche,
who was never contented unless occupied, was bustling about and
making attempts to start up his business once more, but what with the
disordered condition of the labor market and the pecuniary embarrassment
of many among his customers, he had so far only put a few looms in
motion. Then it occurred to him, as a means of killing the time that
hung heavy on his hands, to make a complete inventory of his business
and perfect certain changes and improvements that he had long had in
mind. To assist him in his labors he had just then at his disposal a
young man, the son of an old business acquaintance, who had drifted
in on him after the battle. Edmond Lagarde, who, although he was
twenty-three years old, would not have been taken for more than
eighteen, had grown to man's estate in his father's little dry-goods
shop at Passy; he was a sergeant in the 5th line regiment and had fought
with great bravery throughout the campaign, so much so that he had been
knocked over near the Minil gate about five o'clock, when the battle was
virtually ended, his left arm shattered by one of the last shots fired
that day, and Delaherche, when the other wounded were removed from the
improvised ambulance in the drying room, had good-naturedly received him
as an inmate of his house. It was under these circumstances that Edmond
was now one of the family, having an apartment in the house and taking
his meals at the common table, and, now that his wound was healed,
acting as a sort of secretary to the manufacturer while waiting for a
chance to get back to Paris. He had signed a parole binding himself not
to attempt to leave the city, and owing to this and to his protector's
influence the Prussian authorities did not interfere with him. He was
fair, with blue eyes, and pretty as a woman; so timid withal that his
face assumed a beautiful hue of rosy red whenever anyone spoke to
him. He had been his mother's darling; she had impoverished herself,
expending all the profits of their little business to send him to
college. And he adored Paris and bewailed his compulsory absence from it
when talking to Gilberte, did this wounded cherub, whom the young woman
had displayed great good-fellowship in nursing.

Finally, their household had received another addition in the person of
M. de Gartlauben, a captain in the