THE LEADER
The persons indicated by Jean-Claude Hullin met together in the shed of
the Sawyerie, before the great fireplace; a species of good-humor
beaming on their faces.
"For twenty years have I heard speak of the Russians, Austrians, and
Cossacks," said old Materne, smiling, "and I shall not be sorry to see
a few within reach of my musket: it gives a change to one's ideas."
"Yes," replied Labarbe, "we shall see queer things; the little children
of the mountains will be able to relate something of what their fathers
and grandfathers did! And the old women, of an evening--won't they
tell long tales in fifty years' time?"
"Comrades," said Hullin, "you know the whole country: you have the
mountain under your eyes from Thann to Wissembourg. You know that the
great roads, imperial roads--traverse Alsace and the Vosges. They both
commence at Bale: one runs along the Rhine to Strasbourg, from whence
it ascends to Saverne and enters Lorraine. Huningue, Neuf-Brisach,
Strasbourg, and Phalsbourg defend it. The other turns to the left and
passes by Schlestadt: at Schlestadt it enters the mountain and reaches
Saint-Die, Raon-l'Etape, Baccarat, and Luneville. The enemy will want
to force these two roads first,--being the best for cavalry, artillery,
and baggage,--but as they are defended, we need not trouble ourselves
about them. If the allies besiege the fortresses--which would lengthen
the campaign--we have nothing to fear; but it is not probable they will
do so. After having summoned Huningue to surrender, Belfort,
Schlestadt, Strasbourg, and Phalsbourg, on this side the
Vosges--Bitsche, Lutzelstein, and Sarrebrueck on the other--I imagine
they will fall upon us. Now attend to me. Between Phalsbourg and
Saint-Die, there are several defiles for the infantry; but there is
only one way practicable for cannon: this is the road from Strasbourg
to Raon-les-Leaux by Urmatt, Mutzig, Lutzelhouse, Phramond,
Grandfontaine. Once masters of this passage, the allies will be able
to come out on Lorraine. This road passes the Donon, two leagues from
here, on our right The first thing to be done is to make a firm stand
there, in the most favorable part for defence, that is to say, on the
plateau of the mountain; to intersect it, to break down the bridges,
and to erect solid breastworks across it. A few hundreds of great
trees across the road with all their branches are worth as much as
ramparts. They are the best ambuscades: one is well sheltered behind
them and can see everything coming. Those large trees hold like death.
They must be taken away piece by piece; bridges cannot be thrown over
them:--in fact it is the best thing to be done. All that, comrades,
must be accomplished to-morrow evening, or next day at the latest. I
charge myself with it. But it is not sufficient to occupy a position
and put it in a good state of defence: it must be so managed that the
enemy shall not be able to turn it."
"I was just thinking of that," said Materne. "Once in the valley of
Bruche, the Germans can march with their infantry into the hills of
Haslack and turn our left. Nothing can prevent their trying the same
manoeuvre on our right, if they reach Raon-l'Etape."
"Yes, but to take these ideas out of their heads, we have a very simple
thing to do: it is to occupy the defiles of the Zorn and the Sarre on
our left, and that of Blanru on our right. One can only keep a defile
by holding the heights; that is why Piorette must place himself with a
hundred men on the side of Raon-les-Leaux; Jerome on the Grosmann, with
the same number, to close the valley of the Sarre; and Labarbe, at the
head of the remainder on the great slopes to watch over the hills of
Haslach. You must choose your men from those of the nearest villages.
The women ought not to have a long distance to carry provisions; and
then the wounded will be nearer their homes, which must also be thought
of. There is all I have to say to you just now. The chiefs of posts
must take care to send me every day on the Donon, where I shall
establish our head-quarters this evening, a good walker, to inform me
of what happens, and to receive the countersign. We shall also
organize a reserve; but as we must make haste, we will speak of that
when you are all in position, and there is no longer cause to fear a
surprise from the enemy."
"And I," exclaimed Marc Dives, "I shall have nothing to do then? I am
to remain with my arms folded, watching the others fight?"
"Thou--thou art to survey the transport of ammunition. None of us know
how to treat the powder as thou dost, to preserve it from fire and
damp, to melt the balls, and make cartridges."
"But it is woman's work, that is," exclaimed the smuggler.
"Hexe-Baizel could do it as well as I. What! am I not even to fire
once?"
"Softly, Marc," replied Hullin, laughing; "occasions will not be
wanting. In the first place, the Falkenstein is the centre of our
line; it is our arsenal and our retreating place in case of misfortune.
The enemy will know through his spies that our convoys come from there;
he will try, probably, to take them: the balls and bayonet-thrusts will
come in thy way. Besides, to have thee in safety will be all the
better, for thy cellars and caves must not be confided to the first
comer. But if thou really wouldst like----"
"No," said the smuggler, who had been touched by Hullin's reference to
his caves--"no! all things considered, I believe thou art right,
Jean-Claude. I have my men--they are well armed--we will defend the
Falkenstein; and if the opportunity of firing a shot should present
itself, I shall be all the freer."
"Then that is a decided and well-understood business?" demanded Hullin.
"Yes, yes, it is decided."
"Well, comrades," said the worthy fellow, joyously, "let us warm
ourselves with a few good glasses of wine. It is ten o'clock; let each
one return to his village, and make his preparations. To-morrow
morning all the defiles must be vigorously occupied."
They quitted the shed, and Hullin, in the presence of his followers,
named Labarbe, Jerome, and Piorette chiefs of the defiles: then he told
those of the Sarre to assemble as soon as possible near the farm of
Bois-de-Chenes, with axes, mattocks, and muskets. "We shall leave at
two o'clock, and encamp on the Donon across the route," said he to
them. "To-morrow, at dawn, we will begin the breastworks."
He retained Materne and his two sons Frantz and Kasper, announcing to
them that the battle would commence undoubtedly on the Donon, and that
good shots would be wanted on that side, which gave them pleasure.
Mistress Lefevre had never looked happier than when she got into her
cart again, and, kissing Louise, said in her ear:--"All goes well.
Jean-Claude is a man: he sees everything; he draws people to him. I
have known him forty years, yet he surprises even me." Then turning
round--"Jean-Claude," cried she, "we have a ham waiting for us down
there and a few old bottles, which the Germans shall not drink."
"No, Catherine, they shall not drink them. Go on, I am coming."
But just as they were starting, and when already a number of
mountaineers were climbing the hillsides to regain their villages,
quite in the distance, on the path of Trois-Fontaines, appeared a large
thin man on a big roan cob, with a flat-brimmed cap of rabbit-skin
covering the whole back of his neck: a great sheep-dog with a black
shaggy coat bounded along near him; and the ends of his enormous
surtout flapped behind him like wings. Every one cried out,--"It is
Doctor Lorquin from the plain--the one who attends poor people gratis.
He comes with his dog Pluto. He is a good man."
In fact he it was. He galloped on, shouting, "Halt! stop! halt!" And
his red face, sharp eyes, red-brown beard, broad shoulders, great horse
and dog, all cleaved the air and grew upon the view. In two seconds he
had reached the foot of the mountain, crossed the meadow, and appeared
at the bridge, before the shed. Instantly, in breathless tones, he
began to say:--"Ah! the cunning rogues who want to enter on a campaign
without me; they shall pay for it!" And tapping a small box he carried
at his crupper,--"Listen, my good fellows, listen! I have something
inside there of which you shall give me an account: every description
of knife, large, small, round and pointed, to take from you the balls
and shot of all kinds which you are going to be regaled with!"
Whereupon he burst out laughing, and all those near him felt a cold
shiver in all their veins.
Having delivered himself of this pleasantry, Doctor Lorquin continued
in a graver tone:--"Hullin, I must pull your ears! What, when the
country has to be defended, you forget me! others have to warn me. It
appears to me, however, that a doctor will not be out of the way here.
I must call you to account."
"Pardon me, doctor, I was wrong," said Hullin, squeezing his hand.
"During the last week so many things have happened! One does not
always think of everything; and besides, such a man as you are, need
not be told how to fulfil his duty."
The doctor was appeased.
"All that is right and good," he cried; "but nevertheless by your fault
I am too late; the good places are taken, the crosses distributed.
Come, where is the general, that I may make complaints to him?"
"I am the general."
"Oh! oh! really?"
"Yes, doctor, I am the general; and I promote you to be our head
surgeon."
"Chief surgeon of the partisans of the Vosges! Well, it suits me. No
malice now, Jean-Claude."
Approaching the cart, the worthy man told Catherine that he relied on
her for the organization of the ambulances.
"Everything shall be ready, doctor," replied the farm-mistress.
"Louise and I are going to set to work this evening. Is it not so,
Louise?"
"Oh, yes, Mamma Lefevre," said she, enchanted to perceive that the
campaign was going to begin. "We shall work well; we will spend the
night at it even. M. Lorquin shall be well pleased with us."
"Well, then, let us go. You will dine with us, doctor?"
They trotted away. While keeping pace with them, the good doctor
related to Catherine laughingly how the tidings of the general rising
had reached him; the affliction of his old housekeeper, Marie, who
wanted to prevent his going to be massacred by the "kaiserlichs," and
the various episodes of his journey from Quibolo to the village of
Charmes. Hullin, Materne, and his sons were coming on behind, their
carbines on their shoulders; and thus they ascended the hill-side
toward the farm of Bois-de-Chenes.