tupid silence,
nursing his foot in his hand.

And still the tremendous artillery duel raged, and the death-dealing
missiles went screaming over the recumbent ranks of the regiments that
lay there on the sullen, sweltering plain, where no thing of life was
to be seen beneath the blazing sun. The crashing thunder, the destroying
hurricane, were masters in that solitude, and many long hours would
pass before the end. But even thus early in the day the Germans had
demonstrated the superiority of their artillery; their percussion
shells had an enormous range, and exploded, with hardly an exception,
on reaching their destination, while the French time-fuse shells, with a
much shorter range, burst for the most part in the air and were
wasted. And there was nothing left for the poor fellows exposed to that
murderous fire save to hug the ground and make themselves as small as
possible; they were even denied the privilege of firing in reply, which
would have kept their mind occupied and given them a measure of relief;
but upon whom or what were they to direct their rifles? since there was
not a living soul to be seen upon the entire horizon!

"Are we never to have a shot at them? I would give a dollar for just one
chance!" said Maurice, in a frenzy of impatience. "It is disgusting to
have them blazing away at us like this and not be allowed to answer."

"Be patient; the time will come," Jean imperturbably replied.

Their attention was attracted by the sound of mounted men approaching
on their left, and turning their heads they beheld General Douay, who,
accompanied by his staff, had come galloping up to see how his troops
were behaving under the terrible fire from Hattoy. He appeared well
pleased with what he saw and was in the act of making some suggestions
to the officers grouped around him, when, emerging from a sunken road,
General Bourgain-Desfeuilles also rode up. This officer, though he owed
his advancement to "influence" was wedded to the antiquated African
routine and had learned nothing by experience, sat his horse with great
composure under the storm of projectiles. He was shouting to the men and
gesticulating wildly, after the manner of Rochas: "They are coming, they
will be here right away, and then we'll let them have the bayonet!" when
he caught sight of General Douay and drew up to his side.

"Is it true that the marshal is wounded, general?" he asked.

"It is but too true, unfortunately. I received a note fr