he extreme right to the left of the plain before the
town; then I heard the heavy monotonous tramp of marching, broken
occasionally by the clank of the brass bands of the cavalry, or the deep
sullen thunder of the artillery waggons as they moved along over the
paved roads. The sounds came gradually nearer; the trumpets too joined
the clamour with the shrill reveille, and soon the streets towards
the front of the prison re-echoed with the unceasing clatter of troops
moving forward. I could hear the voices of the officers calling to the
men to move up; heard more than once the names of particular regiments,
as some distinguished corps were passing. The music of the bands was
quick and inspiriting; and as some popular air was struck up, the men
would break forth suddenly into the words, and the rough-voiced chorus
rang through the narrow streets, and fell heavily on my own heart as I
lay there a prisoner. Hour after hour did this continue, yet the silence
behind remained as unbroken as ever; the lonely churchyard, with its
dark walks and sad-looking trees, was still and deserted. By degrees
the din in front diminished; regiments passed now only at intervals, and
their pace, increased to a run, left no time for the bands; the cavalry,
too, trotted rapidly by, and at last all was still as in the gloomy
street before me.

It was now eight o'clock, and no summons had yet come to me, although
I had heard myself the order for our marching on the Bayonne road by
sunrise. The prison was still as the grave; not a step could I hear; not
a bolt nor a hinge creaked. I looked to the window, but the strong iron
grating that defended it left no prospect of escape; the door was even
stronger, and there was no chimney. The thought occurred to me that the
party had forgotten me, and had gone away with the other prisoners. This
thought somehow had its consolation; but the notion of being left to
starve came suddenly across me, and I hastened to the window to try and
make myself known to some chance passer-by.

Just then the loud boom of a gun struck upon my ear; another followed,
louder still; and then a long heavy crashing noise, which rose and fell
as the wind bore it, told me that the work of death had begun. The sound
of the large guns, which at first came only at intervals, now swelled
into one loud continuous roar, that drowned all other noise. The strong
frames of the windows shook, and the very ground beneath my feet seemed
to tremb