Part 18 (1/2)

Imagine the condition of my wife and of my daughter seeing us so denuded! for women cleave to their savings much more closely than men; and then mother was only thinking of Jacob, and Gredel of her Jean Baptiste.

Cousin George knew this. He tried several times to get news of the town. A few Turcos, who had escaped from the carnage of Froeschwiller, had remained in town, and every day a few got through the postern to have a shot at the Germans. On the other hand, as the attack on the place had been sudden and unforeseen, there had been no time to throw down the trees, the hedges, the cottages, and the tombstones in the cemetery. So this work began afresh: everything within cannon-shot was razed without mercy.

George tried to reach these men, but the enemy's posts were still too close. At last he got news, but in a way which can scarcely be told--by an abandoned woman, who was allowed in the German lines. This creditable person told us that Jacob was well; and, no doubt, she also brought some kind of good news to Gredel, who from that moment was another woman. The very next day she began to talk to us about her marriage-portion, and insisted upon knowing where we had hidden it. I told her that it was in the wood, at the foot of a tree. Then she was in alarm lest the Prussians should have discovered it, for they searched everywhere; they had exact inventories of what was owned by every householder. They had gone even to the very end of our cellars to discover choice wines: for instance, at Mathis's, at the saw-mills, and at Frantz Sepel's, at Metting. Nothing could escape them, having had for years our own German servants to give them every information, who privately kept an account of our cattle, hay, corn, wine, and everything every house could supply. These Germans are the most perfect spies in the world; they come into the world to spy, as birds do to thieve: it is part of their nature. Let the Americans and all the people who are kind enough to receive them think of this. Their imprudence may some day cost them dearly. I am not inventing. I am not saying a word too much. We are an example. Let the world profit by it.

So Gredel feared for our h.o.a.rd. I told her I had been to see, and that nothing in the neighborhood had been disturbed.

But, after having quieted her, I myself had a great fright.

One Sunday evening, about thirty Prussians, commanded by their famous lieutenant, came to the mill, striking the floor with the b.u.t.t-ends of their muskets, and shouting that they must have wine and eau-de-vie.

I gave them the keys of the cellar.

”That is not what I want,” said the lieutenant. ”You took sixteen hundred livres at Saverne last month; where are they?”

Then I saw that I had been denounced. It was Placiard, or some of that rabble; for denunciations were beginning. _All who have since declared for the Germans were already beginning this business_. I could not deny it, and I said: ”It is true. As I was owing money at Phalsbourg, I paid what I owed, and I placed the rest in safety under the care of lawyer Fingado.”

”Where is that lawyer?”

”In the town guarded by the sixty big guns that you know of.”

Then the lieutenant paced up and down, growling, ”You are an old fox.

I don't believe you. You have hid your money somewhere. You shall send in your contribution in money.”

”I will furnish, like others, my contribution for six men with what I have got. Here are my hay, my wheat, my straw, my flour. Whatever is left you may have; when there is nothing left, you may seek elsewhere.

You may kill the people; you may burn towns and villages; but you cannot take money from those who have none.”

He stared at me, and one of the soldiers, mad with rage, seized me by the collar, roaring, ”Show us your h.o.a.rd, old rascal!”

Several others were pus.h.i.+ng me out of doors; my wife came crying and sobbing; but Gredel darted in, armed with a hatchet, crying to these robbers, ”Pack of cowards! You have no courage--you are all like Schinderhannes!”

She was going to fall upon them; but I bade her: ”Gredel, go in again.”

At the same time I threw open my waistcoat, and told the brute who was pointing his bayonet at my breast: ”Now thrust, wretch; let it be over!”

It seems that there was something at that moment in my att.i.tude which awed them; for the lieutenant, who did nothing but scour the country with his band, exclaimed: ”Come, let us leave monsieur le maire alone.

When we have taken the place, we shall find his money at the lawyer's.

Come, my lads, come on; let us go and look elsewhere. His Majesty wants crown-pieces: we will find them. Good-by, Monsieur le Maire.

Let us bear no malice.”

He was laughing; but I was as pale as death, and went in trembling.

I fell ill.

Many people in the country were suffering from dysentery, which we owe again to these gormandizers, for they devoured everything; honey, b.u.t.ter, cheese, green fruit, beef, mutton, everything was ingulfed anyhow down their huge swallows. At Pfalsweyer they had even swallowed vinegar for wine. I cannot tell what they ate at home, but the voracity of these people would make you suppose that at home they knew no food but potatoes and cold water.

In their sanitary regulations there was plenty of room for improvement; health and decency were alike disregarded.