and, still more marked, the heavy tramp of marching men; the gathering
on the heights above of that black swarm, engaged in strengthening the
meshes of their net, from which night itself had not served to divert
them. And below, there by the river's side, was there not the flash of
lights suddenly extinguished, was not that the sound of hoarse voices
shouting orders, adding to the dread suspense of that long night of
terror while waiting for the coming of the dawn?

Maurice put forth his hand and felt for Jean's; at last he slumbered,
comforted by the sense of human companionship. From a steeple in Sedan
came the deep tones of a bell, slowly, mournfully, tolling the hour;
then all was blank and void.




PART SECOND



I.

Weiss, in the obscurity of his little room at Bazeilles, was aroused
by a commotion that caused him to leap from his bed. It was the roar
of artillery. Groping about in the darkness he found and lit a candle
to enable him to consult his watch: it was four o'clock, just
beginning to be light. He adjusted his double eyeglass upon his nose
and looked out into the main street of the village, the road that
leads to Douzy, but it was filled with a thick cloud of something that
resembled dust, which made it impossible to distinguish anything. He