to fight his way
to the Place Turenne and back again through obstacles the mere memory of
which caused every bone in his body to ache again. And he was mentally
discussing matters, when who should come up but Major Bouroche, panting,
perspiring, and swearing.

"_Tonnerre de Dieu!_ I wonder if my head's on my shoulders or not!"

He had been obliged to visit the Hotel de Ville to see the mayor about
his supply of chloroform, and urge him to issue a requisition for a
quantity, for he had many operations to perform, his stock of the drug
was exhausted, and he was afraid, he said, that he should be compelled
to carve up the poor devils without putting them to sleep.

"Well?" inquired Delaherche.

"Well, they can't even tell whether the apothecaries have any or not!"

But the manufacturer was thinking of other things than chloroform. "No,
no," he continued. "Have they brought matters to a conclusion yet? Have
they signed the agreement with the Prussians?"

The major made a gesture of impatience. "There is nothing concluded," he
cried. "It appears that those scoundrels are making demands out of all
reason. Ah, well; let 'em commence afresh, then, and we'll all leave our
bones here. That will be best!"

Delaherche's face grew very pale as he listened. "But are you quite sure
these things are so?"

"I was told them by those fellows of the municipal council, who are in
permanent session at the city hall. An officer had been dispatched from
the Sous-Prefecture to lay the whole affair before them."

And he went on to furnish additional details. The interview had taken
place at the Chateau de Bellevue, near Donchery, and the participants
were General de Wimpffen, General von Moltke, and Bismarck. A stern
and inflexible man was that von Moltke, a terrible man to deal with!
He began by demonstrating that he was perfectly acquainted with the
hopeless situation of the French army; it was destitute of ammunition
and subsistence, demoralization and disorder pervaded its ranks, it was
utterly powerless to break the iron circle by which it was girt about;
while on the other hand the German armies occupied commanding positions
from which they could lay the city in ashes in two hours. Coldly,
unimpassionedly, he stated his terms: the entire French army to
surrender arms and baggage and be treated as prisoners of war. Bismarck
took no part in the discussion beyond giving the general his support,
occasionally showing his teeth, like