fixed and haggard.  Opposite these dead men Francoise, stricken with horror, had mechanically pushed away her chair to sit on the floor against the wall; she thought she would take up less room there and not be in so much danger.  Meanwhile the soldiers had collected all the mattresses of the household and partially stopped up the windows with them.  The hall was filled with wrecks, with broken weapons and demolished furniture.

“Five o’clock,” said the captain.  “Keep up your courige!  They are about to try to cross the river!”

At that moment Francoise uttered a cry.  A ball which had ricocheted had grazed her forehead.  Several drops of blood appeared.  Dominique stared at her; then, approaching the window, he fired his first shot.  Once started, he did not stop.  He loaded and fired without heeding what was passing around him, but from time to time he glanced at Francoise.  He was very deliberate and aimed with care.  The Prussians, keeping beside the poplars, attempted the passage of the Morelle, as the captain had predicted, but as soon as a man strove to cross he fell, shot in the head by Dominique.  The captain, who had his eyes on the young man, was amazed.  He complimented him, saying that he should be glad to have many such skillful marksmen.  Dominique did not hear him.  A ball cut his shoulder; another wounded his arm, but he continued to fire.

There were two more dead men.  The mangled mattresses no longer stopped the windows.  The last discharge seemed as if it would have carried away the mill.  The position had ceased to be tenable.  Nevertheless, the captain said firmly: 

“Hold your ground for half an hour more!”

Now he counted the minutes.  He had promised his chiefs to hold the enemy in check there until evening, and he would not give an inch before the hour he had fixed on for the retreat.  He preserved his amiable air and smiled upon Francoise to reassure her.  He had picked up the gun of a dead soldier and himself was firing.

Only four soldiers remained in the hall.  The Prussians appeared in a body on the other side of the Morelle, and it was clear that they intended speedily to cross the river.  A few minutes more elapsed.  The stubborn captain would not order the retreat.  Just then a sergeant hastened to him and said: 

“They are upon the highway; they will take us in the rear!”

The Prussians must have found the bridge.  The captain pulled out his watch and looked at it.

“Five minutes longer,” he said.  “They cannot get here before that time!”

Then at six o’clock exactly he at last consented to lead his men out through a little door which opened into a lane.  From there they threw themselves into a ditch; they gained the forest of Sauval.  Before taking his departure the captain bowed very politely to Pere Merlier and made his excuses, adding: 

“Amuse them!  We will return!”

Dominique was now alone in the hall.  He was still firing, hearing nothing, understanding nothing.  He felt only the need of defending Francoise.  He had not the least suspicion in the world that the soldiers had retreated.  He aimed and killed his man at every shot.  Suddenly there was a loud noise.  The Prussians had entered the courtyard from behind.  Dominique fired a last; shot, and they fell upon him while his gun was yet smoking.