Fanny slipped out of the yard and crept along behind the flares like a
shadow on the pavement. At the street corner she passed out on to the
bridge over the Moselle, and leant against the stonework to watch the
plumes of fire as they glittered up the riverside upon the tow-path. The
lights vanished, leaving the darkness so intense that she could only
feel her way over the bridge by holding to the stonework with her hand.
A sentry challenged her and when she had passed him she had arrived at
the door of her German lodging.

Climbing the stairs a slow breeze of excitement filled out the sails of
her spirit. "My silk stockings ... my gold links, and my benzene
bottle!" she murmured happily. Now that of all her life she had the
slenderest toilet to make--three hours was the time she had set
aside for it!




CHAPTER III


JULIEN

Earth has her usual delights--which can be met with six days out of the
seven. But here and there upon grey earth there exist, like the flying
of sunlight, celestial pleasures also--and one of these is the heaven of
success. When, puffed-up and glorious, the successful creature struts
like a peacock, gilded in a passing radiance. And in a radiance, in a
magic illumination, the newcomers danced in the drawing-room of the
Commandant Dormans, and tasted that which cannot be found when sought,