without trial of any kind,--they were taken, five at a time, and
massacred: some were shot and some cut down with sword or axe; all were
killed without exception--old and young women and children. One of the
latter, who had received three shots was still able to raise his head and
cry, "Where is father? Why doesn't he come and take me away."

Four men and a young girl who had taken refuge in the town of Lasalle,
one of the places granted to the houseless villagers as an asylum, asked
and received formal permission from the captain of the Soissonais
regiment, by name Laplace, to go home on important private business, on
condition that they returned the same night. They promised, and in the
intention of keeping this promise they all met on their way back at a
small farmhouse. Just as they reached it a terrible storm came on. The
men were for continuing their way in spite of the weather, but the young
girl besought them to wait till daylight, as she did not dare to venture
out in the dark during such a storm, and would die of fright if left
alone at the farm. The men, ashamed to desert their companion, who was
related to one of them, yielded to her entreaties and remained, hoping
that the storm would be a sufficient excuse for the delay. As soon as it
was light, the five resumed their journey. But the news of their crime
had reached the ears of Laplace before they got back. They were
arrested, and all their excuses were of no avail. Laplace ordered the
men to be taken outside the town and shot. The young girl was condemned
to be hanged; and the sentence was to be carried out that very day, but
some nuns who had been sent for to prepare her for death, having vainly
begged Laplace to show mercy, entreated the girl to declare that she
would soon become a mother. She indignantly refused to save her life at
the cost of her good name, so the nuns took the lie on themselves and
made the necessary declaration before the captain, begging him if he had
no pity for the mother to spare the child at least, by granting a