announcing that tickets would not be sold for the Northern districts served to indicate how these places were falling, one after the other, into the power of the invader.  The shrinkage of national territory was going on with such methodical regularity that, with watch in hand, and allowing an advance of thirty-five miles daily, one might gauge the hour when the lances of the first Uhlans would salute the Eiffel tower.  The trains were running full, great bunches of people overflowing from their coaches.

In this time of greatest anxiety, Desnoyers again visited his friend, Senator Lacour, in order to astound him with the most unheard-of petitions.  He wished to go immediately to his castle.  While everybody else was fleeing toward Paris he earnestly desired to go in the opposite direction.  The senator couldn’t believe his ears.

“You are beside yourself!” he exclaimed.  “It is necessary to leave Paris, but toward the South.  I will tell you confidentially, and you must not tell because it is a secret—­we are leaving at any minute; we are all going, the President, the Government, the Chambers.  We are going to establish ourselves at Bordeaux as in 1870.  The enemy is surely approaching; it is only a matter of days . . . of hours.  We know little of just what is happening, but all the news is bad.  The army still holds firm, is yet intact, but retreating . . . retreating, all the time yielding ground. . . .  Believe me, it will be better for you to leave Paris.  Gallieni will defend it, but the defense is going to be hard and horrible. . . .  Although Paris may surrender, France will not necessarily surrender.  The war will go on if necessary even to the frontiers of Spain . . . but it is sad . . . very sad!”

And he offered to take his friend with him in that flight to Bordeaux of which so few yet knew.  Desnoyers shook his head.  No; he wanted to go the castle of Villeblanche.  His furniture . . . his riches . . . his parks.

“But you will be taken prisoner!” protested the senator.  “Perhaps they will kill you!”

A shrug of indifference was the only response.  He considered himself energetic enough to struggle against the entire German army in the defense of his property.  The important thing was to get there, and then—­just let anybody dare to touch his things! . . .  The senator looked with astonishment at this civilian infuriated by the lust of possession.  It reminded him of some Arab merchants that he had once known, ordinarily mild and pacific, who quarrelled and killed like wild beasts when Bedouin thieves seized their wares.  This was not the moment for discussion, and each must map out his own course.  So the influential senator finally yielded to the desire of his friend.  If such was his pleasure, let him carry it through!  So he arranged that his mad petitioner should depart that very night on a military train that was going to meet the army.