at all Sedan was in danger of destruction; a great fire had broken
out in the Faubourg de la Cassine. If the bombardment should continue
with such fury for any length of time there would be nothing left of the
city.

"It can't be; I am going to see about it!" Delaherche exclaimed,
violently excited.

"Where are you going, pray?" asked Bouroche.

"Why, to the Sous-Prefecture, to see what the Emperor means by fooling
us in this way, with his talk of hoisting the white flag."

For some few seconds the major stood as if petrified at the idea of
defeat and capitulation, which presented itself to him then for the
first time in the midst of his impotent efforts to save the lives of the
poor maimed creatures they were bringing in to him from the field. Rage
and grief were in his voice as he shouted:

"Go to the devil, if you will! All you can do won't keep us from being
soundly whipped!"

On leaving the factory Delaherche found it no easy task to squeeze
his way through the throng; at every instant the crowd of straggling
soldiers that filled the streets received fresh accessions. He
questioned several of the officers whom he encountered; not one of them
had seen the white flag on the citadel. Finally he met a colonel, who
declared that he had caught a momentary glimpse of it: that it had been
run up and then immediately hauled down. That explained matters; either
the Germans had not seen it, or seeing it appear and disappear so
quickly, had inferred the distressed condition of the French and
redoubled their fire in consequence. There was a story in circulation
how a general officer, enraged beyond control at the sight of the flag,
had wrested it from its bearer, broken the staff, and trampled it in the
mud. And still the Prussian batteries continued to play upon the city,
shells were falling upon the roofs and in the streets, houses were in
flames; a woman had just been killed at the corner of the Rue Pont de
Meuse and the Place Turenne.

At the Sous-Prefecture Delaherche failed to find Rose at her usual
station in the janitor's lodge. Everywhere were evidences of disorder;
all the doors were standing open; the reign of terror had commenced. As
there was no sentry or anyone to prevent, he went upstairs, encountering
on the way only a few scared-looking men, none of whom made any offer to
stop him. He had reached the first story and was hesitating what to do
next when he saw the young girl approaching him.

"Oh, M. De