blackness I have ever experienced. The darkness was so dense that
it seemed to have body and solidity, and one walked as if totally
blind. The streets were alive with invisible soldiers, whom one heard
breathing in the damp darkness and with whom one continually collided.
High above the roofs of the houses a distant glow was reflected upon
the falling rain by fires where they were burning the dead.

Few of the inhabitants had yet returned to the town and we were unable
to find anyone who could tell us where to locate the Mayor. All the
houses were tightly shuttered and nearly all were empty, though
occasionally a faint suggestion of light showed through the crack
under the door. When we beat a summons on such an entrance we never
gained anything more satisfactory in the way of a response than a
gruff and muffled statement that "la maison est deja toute pleine de
soldats." We persevered, however, and our efforts were finally
rewarded, for we at last met an old woman to whom we could explain our
dilemma. She seemed interested in our plight and, pointing to a man
who was approaching and whom we discerned by the faint light of a
dingy lantern which he was carrying, said: "Voila mon patron. Je lui
expliquerai ce que c'est!" A whispered conversation followed, and then
we were introduced to M. Achille Guyot, one of the leading citizens of
the town, a champagne manufacturer of prominence and a man who proved
to be a splendid example of French fortitude and chivalry.

In the darkness we groped for each other's hands, and M. Guyot, with
the greatest politeness, said that he would be charmed to have us
sleep beneath his roof. He apologized because he had little but the
roof to offer since "Les Allemands ont tout bouleverse." He suggested
hesitatingly that we should also sup with him before retiring, and
again apologized, saying: "Les Allemands ont tout pris." We remarked
that we possessed a great many potatoes and would gladly contribute
them to increase the bulk of the repast. This greatly relieved his
mind, as he confessed that he had almost nothing to offer, but since
we had so many potatoes they would be gratefully accepted.

We followed him to his residence, which proved to be a very large
mansion with a great garden in front and a larger one behind.
As we entered the house the rays of the lantern revealed a most
extraordinary sight. All the villagers who had remained in town agreed
that this house had been occupied by Ger