so much
danger. Meanwhile the soldiers had collected all the mattresses of the
household and partially stopped up the windows with them. The hall was
filled with wrecks, with broken weapons and demolished furniture.

"Five o'clock," said the captain. "Keep up your courige! They are about
to try to cross the river!"

At that moment Francoise uttered a cry. A ball which had ricocheted had
grazed her forehead. Several drops of blood appeared. Dominique stared
at her; then, approaching the window, he fired his first shot. Once
started, he did not stop. He loaded and fired without heeding what was
passing around him, but from time to time he glanced at Francoise. He
was very deliberate and aimed with care. The Prussians, keeping beside
the poplars, attempted the passage of the Morelle, as the captain had
predicted, but as soon as a man strove to cross he fell, shot in the
head by Dominique. The captain, who had his eyes on the young man, was
amazed. He complimented him, saying that he should be glad to have
many such skillful marksmen. Dominique did not hear him. A ball cut his
shoulder; another wounded his arm, but he continued to fire.

There were two more dead men. The mangled mattresses no longer stopped
the windows. The last discharge seemed as if it would have carried
away the mill. The position had ceased to be tenable. Nevertheless, the
captain said firmly:

"Hold your ground for half an hour more!"

Now he counted the minutes. He had promised his chiefs to hold the enemy
in check there until evening, and he would not give an inch before the
hour he had fixed on for the retreat. He preserved his amiable air and
smiled upon Francoise to reassure her. He had picked up the gun of a
dead soldier and himself was firing.

Only four soldiers remained in the hall. The Prussians appeared in
a body on the other side of the Morelle, and it was clear that they
intended speedily to cross the river. A few minutes more elapsed. The
stubborn captain would not order the retreat. Just then a sergeant
hastened to him and said:

"They are upon the highway; they will take us in the rear!"

The Prussians must have found the bridge. The captain pulled out his
watch and looked at it.

"Five minutes longer," he said. "They cannot get here before that time!"

Then at six o'clock exactly he at last consented to lead his men out
through a little door which opened into a lane. From there they threw
themselves into a ditch; they gain