seemed
to portend the destruction of the world. Dogs howled, the cattle in the
stalls bellowed unceasingly; there seemed a fearful wailing in the
rattling of the thunder, and the turmoil and uproar of the elements. We
heard sounds like the splitting of trees, continually nearer and
nearer. We all sat together in the room, keeping watch, and my
brother-in-law exclaimed, "It is just so! The trees even will clear out
forthwith. They will not be German."

As he said this, a tree behind the house cracked and fell over on the
roof: the slates rattled, the timbers bent, and the storm now raged
through the house, which we could not forsake; for out of doors the
tempest raged so wildly, that it seemed as if everything that stood
upright would be stricken to the ground. We waited until daylight, and
at early morning a messenger arrived who came to tell me that Julius
must depart, and to ask whether I would not bring Martha home with me.
The messenger also showed us an "extra," that announced the capture of
Metz, and the capitulation of 173,000 men.

When my brother-in-law heard this, he exclaimed, "We are betrayed!"
tore down the epaulettes, and the portrait of Bazaine, under whom he
had served, from the wall, threw them on the floor, and trampled them
under his feet.

The messenger told us the roads were impassable; every where there lay
trunks of trees, and near the house a slain stag. He, a very credulous
man, had spent the night at the Oak of Saint Arbogast, and with pious
fervor praised the saint who had protected him.

After he had partaken of refreshments, he escorted my brother-in-law,
who soon came back with the dead stag.

We were separated from the world, and my sister rejoiced that she still
had something for us to eat.

At noon there came a neighboring forester with his men, and everybody
was called upon, and worked through the entire night to make the roads
again passable. Soldiers were also ordered from Hagenau to assist, and
soon I heard the singing of German songs in the woods.

The next morning Joseph arrived with his companion. He had been ordered
by the chief forester to buy wood here, and had now decided, since it
was so conveniently arranged, to purchase the greater portion of the
windfall. What terrified us, awakened in him a speculation.

"In the forest of Hagenau," said he, "there's also oak wood for
Ludwig's mill."

It was, and remained so; everything served as a stepping-stone to
Joseph.