sympathy for France and spoke of their reluctance to participate
in the war. People were grateful for such sentiments; furthermore,
they might have needed their protection any day. By being nice to
them they would possibly have fewer men billeted to their houses.
And why hurt the feelings of a man who had full power over them? To
act in that way would be less bravery than temerity--and temerity
is no longer a failing of the citizens of Rouen, as in the days of
heroic defense when their City became famous. Last of all--supreme
argument derived from French urbanity--they said that they could
allow themselves to be polite in their own houses, provided they
did not exhibit in public too much familiarity with the foreign
soldier. On the streets they passed each other as strangers, but
at home they willingly chatted, and every night the German stayed
up later and later, warming himself at the family fire-place.

Even the City was gradually resuming some of its ordinary aspect.
The French were seldom seen promenading in the Streets, but Prussian
soldiers swarmed. Besides, the officers of the Blue Hussars, who
arrogantly rattled their big instruments of death on the pavements,
did not seem to have for the plain citizens enormously more contempt
than the officers of the French Chasseurs who, the year before,
had been drinking in the same Cafes.

There was, however, something in the air, something subtle
and unknown, an intolerable foreign atmosphere like an offensive
odor--the smell of invasion. It pervaded the houses and the public
places, changed the taste of food and made you feel as if you
were traveling in far distant lands, amid barbarians and dangerous
tribes.