“They defiled past interminably, with that peculiar motion of a puppet on wires, which belongs to them.  Then the officers billeted their men on the inhabitants, and I had seventeen of them.  My neighbor, the crazy woman, had a dozen, one of whom was the Commandant, a regular violent, surly swashbuckler.

“During the first few days everything went on as usual.  The officers next door had been told that the lady was ill, and they did not trouble themselves about that in the least, but soon, that woman whom they never saw, irritated them.  They asked what her illness was, and were told that she had been in bed for fifteen years, in consequence of terrible grief.  No doubt they did not believe it, and thought that the poor mad creature would not leave her bed out of pride, so that she might not come near the Prussians, not speak to them, nor even see them.

“He insisted upon her receiving him, and he was shown into the room, and said to her roughly:  ’I must beg you to get up, Madame, and to come downstairs so that we may all see you,’ but she merely turned her vague eyes on him, without replying, and so he continued:  ’I do not intend to tolerate any insolence, and if you do not get up of your own accord, I can easily find means to make you walk without any assistance.’

“But she did not give any signs of having heard him, and remained quite motionless, and then he got furious, as he took that calm silence for a mark of supreme contempt, and so he added:  ’If you do not come downstairs to-morrow....’  And then he left the room.”

* * * * *

“The next day the terrified old servant wished to dress her, but the mad woman began to scream violently, and resisted with all her might.  The officer ran upstairs quickly, and the servant threw herself at his feet and cried:  ’She will not come down, Monsieur, she will not.  Forgive her, for she is so unhappy.’

“The soldier was embarrassed, as in spite of his anger, he did not venture to order his soldiers to drag her out, but suddenly he began to laugh, and gave some orders in German, and soon a party of soldiers was seen coming out supporting a mattress as if they were carrying a wounded man.  On that bed, which had not been unmade, the mad woman, who was still silent, was lying quite quietly, for she was quite indifferent to anything that went on, as long as they let her lie.  Behind her, a soldier was carrying a parcel of feminine attire, and the officer said, rubbing his hands:  ’We will just see whether you cannot dress yourself alone, and take a little walk.’

“And then the procession went off in the direction of the forest of Imauville; in two hours the soldiers came back alone, and nothing more was seen of the mad woman.  What had they done with her?  Where had they taken her to?  No one knew.

“The snow was falling day and night, and enveloped the plain and the woods in a shroud of frozen foam, and the wolves came and howled at our very doors.