"Seventeen kilometres."
"Oh, Lord!"
And the poor fellows wiped the great beads of perspiration from their
dusty necks and faces.
"Bring up a bottle of wine. I'll stand for the drinks," called a man
from a corner of the cafe.
"What regiment do you belong to?"
"_L'Escadron du train._"
My heart leapt with expectancy.
"Do you know a man named H.?"
"No."
My disappointment was even greater than my joy.
"How many horses are you taking to Rozoy?"
"Two hundred and some."
"At what time will they pass here?"
"They're due in half an hour, if they don't get cornered by the Boches
on the way. We had a close call ourselves." And swallowing their
glasses of white wine and water, they were on their bicycles and gone,
before we could get any further details.
I had now had enough experience to know that it was high time to take to
the road if we didn't wish to be captured. Yet it seemed unfair to go
and leave some two-score innocent people praying for the soul of their
dear departed to a long drawn-out musical accompaniment. So while the
boys were harnessing I entered the sanctuary and approaching the chancel
by a side aisle, beckoned an altar boy and whispered in his ear words to
the effect that the curate would better hurry his mass and thereby give
his flock time to escape the invaders.
I said this calmly, and hoped he would follow my example in delivering
my message, but imagine if you can the effect produced by this
frightened individual, who, lifting his hands in the air, cried out in
terror, "_Vite, vite, Monsieur le Cure'! Voila' les Prussiens!_"
I didn't wait to see what happened, but went out and joined my group,
which was making ready to start. How far advanced was mass when I
entered the church I did not observe, but what I do know is that it
finished abruptly after my warning, and the poor hearse horse never
before galloped towards the cemetery of Choisy at such a pace nor in
such an undignified manner. As to the mourners, they fairly flew beside
it, greatly diminished in number, the others scattering like chaff
before the wind.
The half-hour's interval allowed by the cyclists for the horses to
arrive was far overlapped by the time we once again took the road, but
the sound of the cannonade had gradually grown closer.
Wearied by this constant changing of camp, I made up my mind to go far
enough in this next move to be able to really rest for a day or so.
Consulting my map, I discovered Jouyle-Chatel to be at what I judged a
safe distance--nearly thirty kilometres and considerably south of Paris.
The afternoon was still young, so we would have time to make the town
before dark. At any rate, I told George to accompany me and explained
that he and I would ride ahead full speed, and arrange for beds and a
dinner by the time the others should arrive. They were instructed not
to let the dark halt them, but to come on. Secretly I hoped that this
would be our last stretch and that we would be able to remain at Jouy
until it was wise to start homeward.
It was an uneventful trip from Choisy to Jouy. The roads were
excellent, though very undulating and the only incident that marked our
journey was an intoxicated individual who jumped across our path and,
putting his hand on my handle bar, demanded tearfully what I had done
with his wife and children.
I declared myself innocent in the matter, which angered him
considerably.
"Now I know you're a spy! Get down--" George did not give him time to
finish the phrase, but with a well-measured blow, sent him sprawling in
the brambled ditch and we beat a hasty retreat without looking back.
It was night by the time we reached Jouy, and at the entrance of the
city I enquired for the best hotel.
"_Le Grand Turc_--but the proprietress is closing up, making ready to
leave."
"What! Here? You don't mean to say the scare has reached this place,
too?"
"Well, we've had so many refugees these days that the women got
frightened and want to go."
George and I parted company, he to see what he could find since the best
hotel was denied us, and I, undaunted, started off to try to persuade
the proprietress to let us in.
After much rattling at the door handles and pounding on the shutters, an
acrid female voice enjoined me to be gone.
"I'm closing up and leaving."
"Leaving? What for?"
"To escape the Germans!"
"How foolish! They'll never reach here. I've just come from the Marne
and expected to find board and lodgings for my staff until the war is
over."
That encouraged her and cracking the door, she put her head out.
"I belong to the Red Cross. Here's my badge and my _carte didentite_.
Don't you think you could find room for me?"
"Well, we're packing up, but we'll have to wait for our horses, which
are at a farm seven miles from here. The farmer said he'd come if there
was any danger."
"Well, you see there isn't or he'd be here by now."
My hostess seemed convinced and opening the door a little wider, let me
pass.
"How many of you are there?"
"Fourteen."
"Good heavens! Fourteen rooms? Never!"
"I don't ask that, my good woman. If you can find a bed for me and
happen to have a bay loft or covered shed, the others will be glad
enough to sleep there. As to the meals, we have our own provisions and
will cook outside. It's a little late to-night, however, so if you
could manage to give them a cup of hot soup and an omelet when they
arrive, I'd make it worth your while."
She consented to the compromise, and sent one of her daughters to
prepare my room. I then dispatched George, whose bicycle bell I heard
ringing in the street, to the city gate to await and conduct the
remainder of our party. In the hour that elapsed before their arrival I
gained in the hostess's good graces by lancing a festered finger and
bandaging her small daughter's skinned knee.
When the others arrived, George, who had not been idle during his wait,
told me that Jouy was almost empty of inhabitants, and that most of the
people from Mery-sur-Marne, a village near Villiers, were lodging for
the night on bales of hay in the school house and town hall.
Our meal over, none of us needed persuading to retire and the idea of a
bed lured me early to my room.
Naturally a light sleeper, I was constantly awakened by the coming and
going and the conversation of our proprietress, who kept on packing
right through the night. Another time I was roused by a bell ringing up
and down the street, which passed beneath my window, and a deep
masculine voice that enjoined all the people from Mery to hurry to the
town hall. The wagons were leaving in a quarter of an hour.
"Poor fools," thought I, and rolled over in my bed.
As it grew light, I could gee the interminable stream of refugees
passing up the road, and when I had dressed and hastened to the
courtyard I found the others had already kindled a fire and tea was
awaiting me.
"At what time should we start, Madame?"
"Start where?"
"I haven't the slightest intention of going any farther. Haven't you
all had enough of this kind of traveling?"
The reply was affirmative and unanimous!
"The noise of the cannon is hardly audible this morning, which is a very
encouraging sign, I'm sure, so we'll try to make ourselves comfortable
until it's safe to go home."
And leaving Julie in charge, I set off by myself, glad of a moment's
solitude.
In my wanderings I found the church door open, and entering, rejoiced in
the peace that reigned within. It calmed my anxiety and as I withdrew
my thoughts were clearer, and the burden of my responsibility seemed
lightened.
On my way to the hotel I was accosted by a woman who, with a baby in her
arms, was leading a cow behind her.
"Don't you want some milk?"
"I hardly think so."
"Please take it. You see, I've only saved my baby and my cow, and I
have to milk the latter twice a day. I can't carry all she gives, so I
keep what's necessary and throw the rest away. It seems like such a
waste."
I agreed with her, and directed her towards the hotel court. She would
take no remuneration and thanking me, hastened on her way.
As I watched her go someone touched me on the arm and asked me if I
would go to the town hall; there were two refugees who needed
assistance. There I found a very old couple, brother and sister, the
eldest aged ninety-two, the other two years younger. They were from
Mery, had lodged in a private house in Jouy, and were so decrepit that
they had not arisen in time to catch the wagons which bore away their
fellow townsmen the night before. That had so upset the old man that he
had broken down and lay moaning on the straw, while the mild little
woman explained that the being left behind was not what troubled her,
but it was her purse and belongings that had been carried off in the
carts.
I comforted them as best I could, promising to send them hot milk and
biscuits, and wondering what else I could do for them. Any way they
should not starve, as long as we remained in Jouy.
Luncheon was well under way when I returned to the hotel. In a pot,
standing on an iron tripod in the middle of the paved court, a rabbit
was gently stewing. In another, a fricassee of chicken smelled
temptingly good. The women and girls were peeling potatoes and onions,
which were to cook in the sauce and a peal of laughter went up from the
merry group when a few moments later George and Emile appeared, covered
with flour and dough from head to foot, and each bearing a bottle of
white wine under his arm.
"What on earth have you boys been up to?"
"Behold in us the city bakers!" said George with a wave of the hand and
he and his companion struck an attitude which again drew forth much
hilarity from the onlookers.
"It's no joke--there wasn't a baker left in the place, so we found an
old fellow who said he'd show us how, and the dough is now setting. By
three o'clock we'll have fresh bread, you see if we don't!"
From the window the proprietress and her daughters watched our impromptu
kitchen with interest. We formed such an amusing group that, handing my
kodak to Leon, I told him to catch us as I bent over to taste the sauce.
Snap went the shutter!
At that same instant a shriek rose from the interior of the hotel.
Looking up I saw that the proprietress and her two daughters had
disappeared.
"_Au secours! Au secours!_"
The boys and I made a rush for the house. As we entered the _grande
sale_, we saw a man bearing a human form in his arms staggering through
the door. Through the blood and dust that smeared the unfortunate boy's
clothing, I recognized the uniform of a chasseur. Not even an emergency
bandage stopped the stream that was flowing from his cheek.
"Quick--a mattress!" I shouted.
The proprietress stood as though nailed to the doorway leading to the
kitchen.
"Is he wounded?"
"No matter--a mattress!"
"But he might soil it--"
"Then I'll pay for it--but for the love of heaven, be quick!"
Just then the boy's head lurched forward and the blood poured from his
mouth. Leon jumped to help the old man who was holding him, and I had
just time to catch the proprietress as she swooned on the floor.
"Put the boy on the billiard table and stuff this blanket under his
head," I said, grabbing the article mentioned from the top of a bundle
near by. "Come in here!" I called to the two daughters who were
blubbering in the next room, terrified at what they had seen. "Come in
here--lay her flat, loosen her clothes, and dash some cold water over
her. She's not dead and I've no time to bother with her."
While others laid the wounded man out on the table, I rushed for my
emergency case which I had fortunately thought to bring along.
With a sharp pair of scissors, I cut away the bloody garments and with a
little warm water washed my patient so I could see what was the matter.
He was but half conscious, and his eyes rolled wildly and his hand
grasped mine and wrung it in agony.
I discovered a tiny cheek wound and was congratulating myself that
perhaps the bullet had lodged in the flesh, when on turning his head
gently to one side, I was almost nauseated by the terrible wound that
greeted my eyes.
Either a Mauser pistol or an explosive bullet fired at but short
distance had entered the cheek and gouged its way through the lad's
head, carrying away part of the ear and well--let us not go any further.
"Is there a doctor in the place still?" I called to the cook who stood
looking in at the door. "Run and see if you can get him--for I'm
incompetent here. Quick! It's life or death!"
And while she was gone I stuffed cotton and iodine into the tremendous
cavity, hoping to stop the hemorrhage. As I bandaged, I questioned the
man who had brought him.
"Where did you pick him up?"
"Amillis--a mile and a half from here. The Uhlans fired into me, too,
when they saw me help him. Look at the sole of my shoe! They're
following close on behind."
I stepped to the window. "George and Leon! Quick! Drop everything.
Hitch and get out of here like lightning! I'll follow in this man's
cart. Hitch and I'll tell you where to go."
Fricasseed chicken and rabbit stew were forgotten and I could hear my
people running wildly about the court, obeying orders.