d beams were
obstructing the way, obliging the vehicle to zigzag through the smoking
rubbish. The vacant lots were burning like fire pans between the houses
still standing, with doors broken, but not yet in flames. Desnoyers saw
within these rectangular spaces partly burned wood, chairs, beds,
sewing machines, iron stoves, all the household goods of the well-to-do
countryman, being consumed or twisted into shapeless masses. Sometimes
he would spy an arm sticking out of the ruins, beginning to burn like a
long wax candle. No, it could not be possible . . . and then the
smell of cooking flesh began to mingle with that of the soot, wood and
plaster.

He closed his eyes, not able to look any longer. He thought for a moment
he must be dreaming. It was unbelievable that such horrors could
take place in less than an hour. Human wickedness at its worst he had
supposed incapable of changing the aspect of a village in such a short
time.

An abrupt stoppage of the motor made him look around involuntarily. This
time the obstruction was the dead bodies in the street--two men and
a woman. They had probably fallen under the rain of bullets from the
machine gun which had passed through the town preceding the invasion.
Some soldiers were seated a little beyond them, with their backs to the
victims, as though ignoring their presence. The chauffeur yelled to
them to clear the track; with their guns and feet they pushed aside the
bodies still warm, at every turn leaving a trail of blood. The space was
hardly opened before the vehicle shot through . . . a thud, a leap--the
back wheels had evidently crushed some very fragile obstacle.

Desnoyers was still huddled in his seat, benumbed and with closed eyes.
The horror around him made him think of his own fate. Whither was this
lieutenant taking him? . . .

He soon saw the town hall flaming in the square; the church was now
nothing but a stone shell, bristling with flames. The houses of the
prosperous villagers had had their doors and windows chopped out by
axe-blows. Within them soldiers were moving about methodically. They
entered empty-handed and came out loaded with furniture and clothing.
Others, in the upper stories, were flinging out various objects;
accompanying their trophies with jests and guffaws. Suddenly they had
to come out flying, for fire was breaking out with the violence and
rapidity of an explosion. Following their footsteps was a group of men
with big boxes and metal c