out, the north is the side where
he should have tried. The whole force could have been massed between the
walls and St. Denis and have been marched in regular order against the
Prussians, with the field-batteries at intervals and the trains
following at a proper distance on the various lines of roads.

"I hope that is his plan still, and that this attack from the South is
only a feint to draw as many of the Germans as possible over to this
side. We have a tremendous advantage in having this short line to march
across. If Trochu were to send the train off at once, while we recrossed
and followed as soon as it was dark, the whole army might be outside the
northern wall before morning. To-morrow we might get into position for
attack, make all the arrangements, and advance far enough to dash
forward at their lines as soon as it is light next day, and with
Ducrot's and Vinoy's force united, we ought to go right through them. We
should have 115,000 men, and I don't suppose they could oppose us with a
third of that number. However strong their positions, we ought to be
able to carry them if we went at them with a rush. Besides, we should
have the guns at the northern forts to help us. At any rate, after this
delay here, I consider the idea of any further advance in this direction
to be out of the question. By to-morrow morning they may have a hundred
thousand men facing us, and if we don't recross to-night, we may find it
very difficult business to do so to-morrow."

"We have got the batteries and forts to cover us," Henri Vaucour said.
"The Germans could never advance against us in force under their fire."

"I hope we are going to cross this evening, if we are going to cross at
all," Pierre Leroux said. "It is cold enough now, but if we are going to
pass the night here, it will be bitter."

"There are those houses by the river, we are a good deal nearer to them
than any other troops," Arnold Dampierre said; "they will hold us if we
pack in pretty closely."

As the afternoon wore on, the colonel sent two officers to inspect the
houses, which were all found to be empty. As soon as he received the
report, he sent twenty men off with orders to cut down hedges and form
fagots, and then to light fires in each room. There was no further
movement. A heavy musketry fire was kept up far away to the left, and
the batteries occasionally fired heavily; but all idea of movement was
evidently abandoned for the day, and the enemy were no