n't stay there. Go inside the house, quick, quick!"

His heart overflowed with pity as he beheld the change her terrible
affliction had wrought in her, and he recalled her image as she had
appeared to him only the day before, her face bright with the kindly
smile of the happy, loving wife. At first he had found no word to say
to her, hardly knowing even if she would recognize him. He felt that he
could gladly give his life, if that would serve to restore her peace of
mind.

"Go inside, and don't come out. At the first sign of danger we will come
for you, and we will all escape together by way of the wood up yonder."

But she apathetically replied:

"Ah, M. Jean, what is the use?"

Her brother, however, was also urging her, and finally she ascended
the stoop and took her position within the vestibule, whence her vision
commanded a view of the avenue in its entire length. She was a spectator
of the ensuing combat.

Maurice and Jean had posted themselves behind one of the elms near
the house. The gigantic trunks of the centenarian monarchs were amply
sufficient to afford shelter to two men. A little way from them Gaude,
the bugler, had joined forces with Lieutenant Rochas, who, unwilling to
confide the flag to other hands, had rested it against the tree at his
side while he handled his musket. And every trunk had its defenders;
from end to end the avenue was lined with men covered, Indian fashion,
by the trees, who only exposed their head when ready to fire.

In the wood across the valley the Prussians appeared to be receiving
re-enforcements, for their fire gradually grew warmer. There was no one
to be seen; at most, the swiftly vanishing form now and then of a man
changing his position. A villa, with green shutters, was occupied
by their sharpshooters, who fired from the half-open windows of the
_rez-de-chaussee_. It was about four o'clock, and the noise of the
cannonade in the distance was diminishing, the guns were being
silenced one by one; and there they were, French and Prussians, in that
out-of-the-way-corner whence they could not see the white flag floating
over the citadel, still engaged in the work of mutual slaughter, as if
their quarrel had been a personal one. Notwithstanding the armistice
there were many such points where the battle continued to rage until it
was too dark to see; the rattle of musketry was heard in the faubourg of
the Fond de Givonne and in the gardens of Petit-Pont long after it had