3d divisions had passed through the city and
encamped in the meadows on the farther bank of the Aisne, while a
brigade of the second, which included the 106th, had remained upon the
left bank, bivouacking among the waste lands of which the low foot-hills
overlooked the valley, observing from their position the Monthois road,
which skirts the stream and by which the enemy was expected to make his
appearance.

And Maurice was dumfoundered to behold advancing along that Monthois
road Margueritte's entire division, the body of cavalry to which had
been assigned the duty of supporting the 7th corps and watching the
left flank of the army. The report was that it was on its way to
Chene-Populeux. Why was the left wing, where alone they were threatened
by the enemy, stripped in that manner? What sense was there in summoning
in upon the center, where they could be of no earthly use, those two
thousand horsemen, who should have been dispersed upon our flank,
leagues away, as videttes to observe the enemy? And what made matters
worse was that they caused the greatest confusion among the columns
of the 7th corps, cutting in upon their line of march and producing
an inextricable jam of horses, guns, and men. A squadron of chasseurs
d'Afrique were halted for near two hours at the gate of Vouziers, and by
the merest chance Maurice stumbled on Prosper, who had ridden his horse
down to the bank of a neighboring pond to let him drink, and the two
men were enabled to exchange a few words. The chasseur appeared stunned,
dazed, knew nothing and had seen nothing since they left Rheims; yes,
though, he had: he had seen two uhlans more; oh! but they were will o'
the wisps, phantoms, they were, that appeared and vanished, and no
one could tell whence they came nor whither they went. Their fame had
spread, and stories of them were already rife throughout the country,
such, for instance, as that of four uhlans galloping into a town with
drawn revolvers and taking possession of it, when the corps to which
they belonged was a dozen miles away. They were everywhere, preceding
the columns like a buzzing, stinging swarm of bees, a living curtain,
behind which the infantry could mask their movements and march and
countermarch as securely as if they were at home upon parade. And
Maurice's heart sank in his bosom as he looked at the road, crowded with
chasseurs and hussars which our leaders put to such poor use.

"Well, then, _au revoir_," said he, sha