sed the liberality of the owner of the castle. His entire
vintage seemed to be overflowing on the highway. Casks from the last
grape-gathering were rolled out to the roadside, and the soldiers filled
the metal ladles hanging from their belts with the red stream. Then
the bottled wine began making its appearance by order of date, and was
instantly lost in the river of men continually flowing by. Desnoyers
observed with much satisfaction the effects of his munificence. The
smiles were reappearing on the despairing faces, the French jest was
leaping from row to row, and on resuming their march the groups began to
sing.

Then he went to see the officers who in the village square were giving
their horses a brief rest before rejoining their columns. With perplexed
countenances and heavy eyes they were talking among themselves about
this retreat, so incomprehensible to them all. Days before in Guise they
had routed their pursuers, and yet now they were continually withdrawing
in obedience to a severe and endless order. "We do not understand it,"
they were saying. "We do not understand." An ordered and methodical tide
was dragging back these men who wanted to fight, yet had to retreat. All
were suffering the same cruel doubt. "We do not understand."

And doubt was making still more distressing this day-and-night march
with only the briefest rests--because the heads of the divisions were
in hourly fear of being cut off from the rest of the army. "One
effort more, boys! Courage! Soon we shall rest!" The columns in their
retirement were extending hundreds of miles. Desnoyers was seeing only
one division. Others and still others were doing exactly this same thing
at that very hour, their recessional extending across half of France.
All, with the same disheartened obedience, were falling back, the men
exclaiming the same as the officials, "We don't understand. We don't
understand!"

Don Marcelo soon felt the same sadness and bewilderment as these
soldiers. He didn't understand, either. He saw the obvious thing,
what all were able to see--the territory invaded without the Germans
encountering any stubborn resistance;--entire counties, cities,
villages, hamlets remaining in the power of the enemy, at the back of an
army that was constantly withdrawing. His enthusiasm suddenly collapsed
like a pricked balloon, and all his former pessimism returned. The
troops were displaying energy and discipline; but what did that amount
to if they