第6节
【】tthatthe frenchhadbeeeail;andhadshoost gallantry,againstgreatlysuperiouers.theywouldnow,no doubt,fallbackbehindtheselle;andholdthatline,andthe positionofthevosges,untilfreshtroopsuldeup,anda greatbattlebefoughtupoer. freshlevieswereeverywhereordered,andadeepandgeneral feelingeprevailed.noohoughtofblaroopsit thattheyhaddoheirbest;thefaultlayhthe generals,andhtheanization. en ee,also;fortheutternfusionh prevailedangstroops,intheirretreat,shohat theentalsyste;andthatthereuldhave beennorealdiscipliswould haverallied,afeilesfrohefieldofbattle. indijon,thegedurifhtarvelousthe ight,thisdisgrace stbeobileshe soldiersyarting,byeverytrain, tothedepots.thesoundoftherseillaiserangthroughthe streets,nightandday.thes,”gainedafresh aningahesefirstdefeats,none dreadoffi. everyday,hoerasburgoff; andtheprussiansrchedunopposedacrossthespursofthevosges, erehandfulofnghthavekedthe ”boys,thereareterribledaysinstore,forfranaptain barclaysaid,ethattheenehadenterednancy. ”theliheselleistued.bazaineoff,unless hehurrieshisretreat;ahingstoptheprussians froargtoparis.” theboyssatspeechlessatthisterribleassurance. ”surelyitrs.barclaysaid.”fren othavelostalltheiroldqualities;andallfrancewillrise, likeoorchtothedefenseofparis.” ”raever,againsttheprussian troops,flushedhviaptainbarclaysaid;”evenifthey edands,foralevyeoe frofbazaien,theonlyhopeoffranceisforallthe troopsaintofallbaderthegunsofthefortsof paris;andforfrannseguerrillawar.for hostsofskirsherstohangupontheirflanksandrear;cutting everyroad,destroyingeverybridge,entsof everydetaout,onthe groundheyoupy. ”this,hoandanieofpluck,of enduran.the questionis,doesfrancepossessthesequalities” ”surely,riofthefrench,” s.barclaysaid,alittlereproachfully. ”dearlanie,”herhusbandsaid,”iaorrytosaythativery greatlydoubtthepatriotisfthefrench.theyarerethanany people,reeventhantheenglish,theylaughatasanation ofshopkeepersaneykingrace.thebeoiseclass,the shopkeepers,thesllproprietors,areselfishire. theythinkonlyoftheirheirbusiness,andtheirforts. theloter,buttheirfirstthoughtswill behoselvesand,uhereisso yapproagtheirhos,drivingofftheir cattle,andplunderiages,theyha verycalyeatthegeneralruin. ”ibelieve,reer,thatthosewillgo and,ifaffairsgoasifearthattheyanunder fiftyyearsoldinfranceogoout;butitisnotenough togoout.forahis,iteurage andendurandanabsolutedisregardoflife;tounterbalance thedisadvantagesofs,of artillery,andaybehati aobuttiwillshow.” ”anddoyouthinkthatthereisanyceoftheiringdown here,asoparis,papa”percyasked. ”thathelengthoftheresistany.if franshe prussiansghttrytoioseupoheyyoverrunhalfthe untryand,asthistolyupontheirhe sehis way.” ”heydo,papa,”ralphsaid,hheightenedlor,”i feelsurethateveryn,andthat everyhowillbedefended.” ”ainbarclaysaid,”weshallsee.” anotherpause,aheerriblethreedays fightingoh,16th,and18thz;whenbazaine,his retreattooff,vainlytriedtoforcehisway throughtheprussianarand,failing,fellbatotz.even nohepositioheonlygreat arreiningshutupandsurrounded;andhnothingsavethe fragntofsdivisios, llectedinhaste,andthechalons, betyandthecapitalthepeopleoffrance ent ncealedatleastaportionofthetruth,andthepeoplewereonly tooreadytobedeceived. indijon,hoore uood.thesainingtheprussianofficial telegraandats,arriveddaily;andthose speedilyspreadthenehroughthetoeationwas great,andgeneral,buttherehe bilesedandequippedoff,atoo chalons.ateveryerofthestreet thebilesandsoldierse;and,although henationalguarddrilledintheplace dars,ingandevening. ”youistakenastothe patriotisfthepeople,”s.barclaysaid,oneevening,toher husband.”everyoneisrushingtoar.” ”theyareingoutbetterthanihadexpected,laat thesati,youhattheyhavenochoithe tter.thebilesarecalledout,andhavetogo.allan raisethestfrivolouspretextforexetiondoso.thereisa perfeentotheprefecture,toobtainpla theedical,arng,andequippints;inany sortofservitaking upar. ”atthesati, ...