and stood aside beneath the trees, raising herself
on her toes at every moment to peer before her, firm in her resolve
to continue her journey as soon as she should be allowed to pass. She
learned the condition of affairs from the conversation that went on
around her. Some officers were criticising with great acerbity the order
for the abandonment of Bazeilles, which had occurred at a quarter-past
eight, at the time when General Ducrot, taking over the command from the
marshal, had considered it best to concentrate the troops on the plateau
of Illy. What made matters worse was, that the valley of the Givonne
having fallen into the hands of the Germans through the premature
retirement of the 1st corps, the 12th corps, which was even then
sustaining a vigorous attack in front, was overlapped on its left flank.
Now that General de Wimpffen had relieved General Ducrot, it seemed that
the original plan was to be carried out. Orders had been received to
retake Bazeilles at every cost, and drive the Bavarians into the Meuse.
And so, in the ranks of that regiment that had been halted there in
full retreat at the entrance of the village and ordered to resume the
offensive, there was much bitter feeling, and angry words were rife.
Was ever such stupidity heard of? to make them abandon a position, and
immediately tell them to turn round and retake it from the enemy! They
were willing enough to risk their life in the cause, but no one cared to
throw it away for nothing!

A body of mounted men dashed up the street and General de Wimpffen
appeared among them, and raising himself erect on his stirrups, with
flashing eyes, he shouted, in ringing tones:

"Friends, we cannot retreat; it would be ruin to us all. And if we do
have to retreat, it shall be on Carignan, and not on Mezieres. But we
shall be victorious! You beat the enemy this morning; you will beat them
again!"

He galloped off on a road that conducted to la Moncelle. It was said
that there had been a violent altercation between him and General
Ducrot, each upholding his own plan, and decrying the plan of
the other--one asserting that retreat by way of Mezieres had been
impracticable all that morning; the other predicting that, unless they
fell back on Illy, the army would be surrounded before night. And there
was a great deal of bitter recrimination, each taxing the other with
ignorance of the country and of the situation of the troops. The pity of
it was that both were r