Part 36 (2/2)

And I answered:

”We were slaves in Egypt, my child, and the Lord brought us forth with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm!”

These words inspired us with courage; we hoped that G.o.d would deliver us as He had delivered our fathers, and that the Emperor would be His right arm; but we were mistaken, the Lord wanted nothing more of that man!

XX

PEACE

The next morning, at daybreak, between six and seven o'clock, when we were all asleep, the report of a cannon made our windows rattle. The enemy usually fired only at night. I listened; a second report followed after a few seconds, then another, then others, one by one.

I rose, opened a window, and looked out. The sun was rising behind the a.r.s.enal. Not a soul was in the street; but, as one report came after another, doors and windows were opened; men in their s.h.i.+rts leaned out, listening.

No sh.e.l.ls hissed through the air; the enemy fired blank cartridges.

As I listened, a great murmur came from the distance, outside of the city. First it came from the Mittelbronn hill, then it reached the b.i.+.c.helberg, Quatre-Vents, the upper and lower Barracks.

Sorle had just risen also; I finished dressing, and said to her:

”Something extraordinary is going on--G.o.d grant that it may be for good!”

And I went down in great perturbation.

It was not a quarter of an hour since the first report, and the whole city was out. Some ran to the ramparts, others were in groups, shouting and disputing at the corners of the streets. Astonishment, fear, and anger were depicted upon every face.

A large number of soldiers were mingled with the citizens, and all went up together in groups to the right and left of the French gate.

I was about following one of these groups, when Burguet came down the street. He looked thin and emaciated, as on the day when I saw him in the market.

”Well!” said I, running to meet him, ”this is something serious!”

”Very serious, and promising no good, Moses!” said he.

”Yes, it is evident,” said I, ”that the allies have gained victories; it may be that they are in Paris!”

He turned around in alarm, and said in a low voice:

”Take care, Moses, take care! If any one heard you, at a moment like this, the veterans would tear you in pieces!”

I was dreadfully frightened, for I saw that he was right, while, as for him, his cheeks shook. He took me by the arm and said:

”I owe you thanks for the provisions you sent me; they came very opportunely.”

And when I answered that we should always have a morsel of bread at his service, so long as we had any left, he pressed my hand; and we went together up the street of the infantry quarters, as far as to the ice-house bastion, where two batteries had been placed to command the Mittelbronn hill. There we could see the road to Paris as far as to Pet.i.te Saint Jean, and even to Lixheim; but those great heaps of earth, called _cavaliers_, were covered with people; Baron Parmentier, his a.s.sistant Pipelingre, the old curate Leth, and many other men of note were there, in the midst of the crowd, looking on in silence. We had only to see their faces to know that something dreadful was happening.

From this height on the talus, we saw what was riveting everybody's attention. All our enemies, Austrians, Bavarians, Wurtemburgers, Russians, cavalry and infantry mixed together, were swarming around their intrenchments like ants, embracing each other, shaking hands, lifting their shakos on the points of their bayonets, waving branches of trees just beginning to turn green. Hors.e.m.e.n dashed across the plain, with their colbacs on the point of their swords, and rending the air with their shouts.

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