have another Sedan here.

"After the defeat of these, the last two armies of France, it would
be madness to continue the war. Paris must surrender, for there
would be no further possibility of relief; and there would be no
advantage, whatever, in enduring further sufferings.

"No, my boys, I said 'Go' when I thought that there was a
possibility of saving France. You have done your duty--more than
your duty. It would be worse than folly--it would be wickedness--to
voluntarily put your lives into danger, when success has ceased to
be possible. I should be the last man to hinder you from what was
your duty. I said 'Go' before, when few fathers would have said so.
I would say 'Go' again, now, if your duty called you; but as you
can both obtain sick leave, for another six weeks, I say take that
leave. Do not do more than your duty, for heroism is now of no use
to France."

"I agree with you altogether, papa," Ralph said. "I have seen, and
had, quite enough fighting for my lifetime. Of course, if the war
goes on Percy and I, as officers, must return to our duty, but I am
willing to obtain all the sick leave I can get; for although I
still believe in the individual bravery of the French soldiers, I
am quite convinced that it is altogether out of the question
that--with their want of organization, want of generals, want of
officers, want of discipline, want of everything--they can drive
out the magnificent armies of Germany.

"Has Percy got his leave extended?"

"Yes," Percy said; "I am fairly well, but I am still shaky. I have
not quite got over that swim; and the surgeon said, without my
applying for it, that I must have prolonged rest so, at the end of
the month, he extended it for two months longer.

"I thoroughly agree with you both. We have had quite enough of it.
We shall always have the satisfaction that we did our duty to
France, and our rank; and these ribbons,"--and he touched the
rosette of the legion of honor, in his buttonhole--"will prove that
we have distinguished ourselves. We have had great good fortune,
hitherto; it might turn, next time."

And so it was settled that the boys should remain at home, for the
next two months; by which time they agreed, with their father, the
resistance would be fairly worn out. Ralph wrote to General Chanzy,
relating the whole circumstances of his absence. General Chanzy
wrote in reply--in spite of the demands upon his time--saying how
pleased he was that Ralph had esc