it be possible that the Crown
Prince was at Chalons? What, then, were the troops that the 7th corps
had encountered among the passes of the Argonne?

"They have no information at staff headquarters," continued the little
druggist, raising his arms above his head with a despairing gesture.
"Ah, what a mess we are in! But all will be well if the army retreats
to-morrow." Then, dropping public for private matters, the kind-hearted
man said: "Look here, my young friend, I am going to see what I can do
for that foot of yours; then we'll give you some dinner and put you to
bed in my apprentice's little room, who has cleared out."

But Maurice was tormented by such an itching desire for further
intelligence that he could neither eat nor sleep until he had carried
into execution his original design of paying a visit to his old friend,
Madame Desvallieres, over the way. He was surprised that he was not
halted at the door, which, in the universal confusion, had been left
wide open, without so much as a sentry to guard it. People were
going out and coming in incessantly, military men and officers of the
household, and the roar from the blazing kitchen seemed to rise and
pervade the whole house. There was no light in the passage and on the
staircase, however, and he had to grope his way up as best he might. On
reaching the first floor he paused for a few seconds, his heart beating
violently, before the door of the apartment that he knew contained the
Emperor, but not a sound was to be heard in the room; the stillness that
reigned there was as of death. Mounting the last flight he presented
himself at the door of the servant's room to which Madame Desvallieres
had been consigned; the old lady was at first terrified at sight of him.
When she recognized him presently she said:

"Ah, my poor child, what a sad meeting is this! I would cheerfully have
surrendered my house to the Emperor, but the people he has about him
have no sense of decency. They lay hands on everything, without so much
as saying, 'By your leave,' and I am afraid they will burn the house
down with their great fires! He, poor man, looks like a corpse, and such
sadness in his face--"

And when the young man took leave of her with a few murmured words of
comfort she went with him to the door, and leaning over the banister:
"Look!" she softly said, "you can see him from where you are. Ah! we are
all undone. Adieu, my child!"

Maurice remained planted like a statue o