antly looking
behind them. From the east, indeed, came the distant sounds of
explosions and intermittent rifle firing. Mrs. Warren was blanched
with fear, her cheeks a dull peach colour. She questioned the people
in French and Flemish, but they only answered vaguely in raucous
voices: "Les Allemands!" "De Duitscher."

One old woman, however, had flung herself down by the roadside,
while her patient dog lay between the shafts of the little cart till
she should be pleased to go on. She was more communicative and told
Mrs. Warren a tale too horrible to be believed, about husband, son,
son-in-law all killed, daughter violated and killed too, cottage in
flames, livestock driven off. Recovering from her exhaustion she
rose and shook herself. "I've no business to be here. I should be
with _them_. I was just packing this cart for the market when it
happened. Why did I go away? Oh for shame! I'll go back--to
_them_..." And forthwith she turned the dog round and trudged the
same way they were going.

At last they came opposite the courtyard of the Villa and saw the
lawn and gravel sweep full of helmeted soldiers in green-grey
uniform, their bodies hung with equipment--bags, great-coats,
rolled-up blankets, trench spades, cartridge bandoliers. Vivie
jumped down quickly, said to her mother in a low firm voice: "Leave
everything to me. Say as little as possible." Then to the farmer:
"Nous vous remercions infiniment. Vous aurez mille choses a faire
chez vous, je n'en doute. Nous reglerons notre compte tout-a
l'heure.... Pour le moment, adieu." She clutched the handbags of
valuables, slung them somehow on her left arm, while with her other
she piloted the nearly swooning Mrs. Warren into the court.

They were at once stopped by a non-commissioned officer who asked
them in abrupt, scarcely understandable German what they wanted.
Vivie guessing his meaning said in English--she scarcely knew any
German: "This is our house. We have been absent in Brussels. We want
to see the officer in command." The soldier knew no English, but
likewise guessed at their meaning. He ordered them to wait where
they were. Presently he came out of the Villa and said the Herr
Oberst would see them. Vivie led her mother into the gay little
hall--how pleasant and cool it had looked in the early morning! It
was now full of surly-looking soldiers. Without hesitating she took
a chair from one soldier and placed her mother in it. "You rest
there a moment, deare