“We went on, almost without stopping, until three o’clock in the morning, when suddenly our scouts fell back once more, and soon the whole detachment showed nothing but a vague shadow on the ground, as the men lay on the snow.  I gave my orders in a low voice, and heard the harsh, metallic sound of the cocking, of rifles.  For there, in the middle of the plain, some strange object was moving about.  It looked like some enormous animal running about, now stretching out like a serpent, now coiling itself into a ball, darting to the right, then to the left, then stopping, and presently starting off again.  But presently that wandering shape came nearer, and I saw a dozen lancers at full gallop, one behind the other.  They had lost their way and were trying to find it.

“They were so near by that time that I could hear the loud breathing of their horses, the clinking of their swords and the creaking of their saddles, and cried:  ‘Fire!’

“Fifty rifle shots broke the stillness of the night, then there were four or five reports, and at last one single shot was heard, and when the smoke had cleared away, we saw that the twelve men and nine horses had fallen.  Three of the animals were galloping away at a furious pace, and one of them was dragging the dead body of its rider, which rebounded violently from the ground; his foot had caught in the stirrup.

“One of the soldiers behind me gave a terrible laugh and said:  ’There will be some widows there!’

“Perhaps he was married.  A third added:  ‘It did not take long!’

“A head emerged from the litter.

“‘What is the matter?’ she asked; ‘are you fighting?’

“‘It is nothing, mademoiselle,’ I replied; ’we have got rid of a dozen Prussians!’

“‘Poor fellows!’ she said.  But as she was cold, she quickly disappeared beneath the cloaks again, and we started off once more.  We marched on for a long time, and at last the sky began to grow lighter.  The snow became quite clear, luminous and glistening, and a rosy tint appeared in the east.  Suddenly a voice in the distance cried: 

“‘Who goes there?’

“The whole detachment halted, and I advanced to give the countersign.  We had reached the French lines, and, as my men defiled before the outpost, a commandant on horseback, whom I had informed of what had taken place, asked in a sonorous voice, as he saw the litter pass him:  ’What have you in there?’

“And immediately a small head covered with light hair appeared, dishevelled and smiling, and replied: 

“‘It is I, monsieur.’

“At this the men raised a hearty laugh, and we felt quite light-hearted, while Pratique, who was walking by the side of the litter, waved his kepi and shouted: 

“‘Vive la France!’ And I felt really affected.  I do not know why, except that I thought it a pretty and gallant thing to say.