weight of their burdens, were strung along the white, blinding road in
the fierce sunlight, where the tired little legs of the smaller
children were unable to keep up with the headlong flight. Many had
taken off their shoes and were going barefoot so as to get over the
ground more rapidly, and half-dressed mothers gave the breast to their
crying babies as they strode along. Affrighted faces turned for a look
backward, trembling hands were raised as if to shut out the horizon
from their sight, while the gale of panic tumbled their unkempt locks
and sported with their ill-adjusted garments. Others there were,
farmers and their men, who pushed straight across the fields, driving
before them their flocks and herds, cows, oxen, sheep, horses, that
they had driven with sticks and cudgels from their stables; these were
seeking the shelter of the inaccessible forests, of the deep valleys
and the lofty hill-tops, their course marked by clouds of dust, as in
the great migrations of other days, when invaded nations made way
before their barbarian conquerors. They were going to live in tents,
in some lonely nook among the mountains, where the enemy would never
venture to follow them; and the bleating and bellowing of the animals
and the trampling of their hoofs upon the rocks grew fainter in the
distance, and the golden nimbus that overhung them was lost to sight
among the thick pines, while down in the road beneath the tide of
vehicles and pedestrians was flowing still as strong as ever, blocking
the passage of the troops, and as they drew near Belfort the men had
to be brought to a halt again and again, so irresistible was the force
of that torrent of humanity.

It was during one of those short halts that Maurice witnessed a scene
that was destined to remain indelibly impressed upon his memory.

Standing by the road-side was a lonely house, the abode of some poor