The Blockade of Phalsburg: An Episode of the End of the Empire. Erckmann-Chatrian
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creatures rose and flew away to the forest of La Bonne-Fontaine, or the ruins of the old convent of Dann.
As for myself, I lengthened my steps, feeling that I must not stop, that the typhus was marching at my heels.
Happily the winter sets in early at Phalsburg. A cold wind blew from the Schneeberg, and these strong draughts of mountain air disperse all maladies, even, it is said, the Black Plague itself.
What I have now told you is about the retreat from Leipsic, in the beginning of November.
When I reached Saverne, the city was crowded with troops, artillery, infantry, and cavalry, pell-mell.
I remember that, in the principal street, the windows of an inn were open, and a long table with its white cloth was seen, all laid, within. All the guard of honor stopped there. These were young men of rich families, who had money in spite of their tattered uniforms. The moment they saw this table in passing, they leaped from their horses and rushed into the hall. But the innkeeper, Hannes, made them pay five francs in advance, and just as the poor things began to eat, a servant ran in, crying out, "The Prussians! the Prussians!" They sprang up at once and mounted their horses like madmen, without once looking back, and in this way Hannes sold his dinner more than twenty times.
I have often thought since that such scoundrels deserve hanging; yes, this way of making money is not lawful business. It disgusted me.
But if I should describe the rest – the faces of the sick, the way in which they lay, the groans they uttered, and, above all, the tears of those who tried in vain to go on – if I should tell you this, it would be still worse, it would be too much. I saw, on the slope of the old tan-house bridge, a little guardsman of seventeen or eighteen years, stretched out, with his face flat upon the stones. I have never forgotten that boy; he raised himself from time to time, and showed his hand as black as soot: he had a ball in the back, and his hand was half gone. The poor fellow had doubtless fallen from a cart. Nobody dared to help him because they heard it said, "He has the typhus! he has the typhus." Oh, what misery! It is too dreadful to think of!
Now, Fritz, I must tell you another thing about that day, and that is how I saw Marshal Victor.
It was late when I started from Phalsburg, and it was dark when, on going up the principal street of Saverne, I saw all the windows of the Hotel du Soleil illuminated from top to bottom. Two sentinels walked to and fro under the arch, officers in full uniform went in and out, magnificent horses were fastened to rings all along the walls; and, within the court, the lamps of a calash shone like two stars.
The sentinels kept the street clear, but I must pass, because Baruch dwelt farther on. I was going through the crowd, in front of the hotel, and the first sentinel was calling out to me, "Back! back!" when an officer of hussars, a short, stout man, with great red whiskers, came out of the arch, and as he met me, exclaimed,
"Ah! is it you, Moses! I am glad to see you!"
He shook hands with me.
I opened my eyes with amazement, as was natural: a superior officer shaking hands with a plain citizen is not an every-day occurrence. I looked at him in astonishment, and recognized Commandant Zimmer.
Thirty years before we had been at Father Genaudet's school, and we had scoured the city, the moats, and the glacis together, as children. But since then Zimmer had been a good many times in Phalsburg, without remembering his old comrade, Samuel Moses.
"Ho!" said he, smiling, and taking me by the arm, "come, I must present you to the marshal."
And, in spite of myself, before I had said a word, I went in under the arch, into a large room where two long tables, loaded with lights and bottles, were laid for the staff-officers.
A number of superior officers, generals, colonels, commanders of hussars, of dragoons and of chasseurs, in plumed hats, in helmets, in red shakos, their chins in their huge cravats, their swords dragging, were walking silently back and forth, or talking with each other, while they waited to be called to table.
It was difficult to pass through the crowd, but Zimmer kept hold of my arm, and led me to the end of the room, to a little lighted door.
We entered a high room, with two windows opening upon the gardens.
The marshal was there, standing, his head uncovered; his back was toward us, and he was dictating orders which two staff-officers were writing.
This was all which I noticed at the moment, in my confusion.
Just after we entered, the marshal turned; I saw that he had the good face of an old Lorraine peasant. He was a tall, powerful man, with a grayish head; he was about fifty years old, and very heavy for his age.
"Marshal, here's our man!" said Zimmer. "He is one of my old school-mates, Samuel Moses, a first-rate fellow, who has been traversing the country these thirty years, and knows every village in Alsace and Lorraine."
The marshal looked at me a few steps off. I held my hat in my hand in great fear. After looking at me a couple of seconds, he took the paper which one of the secretaries handed him, read and signed it, then turned back to me:
"Well, my good man," said he, "what do they say about the last campaign? What do the people in your village think about it?"
On hearing him call me "my good man," I took courage, and answered "that the typhus had made bad work, but the people were not disheartened, because they knew that the Emperor with his army was at hand."
And when he said abruptly: "Yes! But will they defend themselves?" I answered: "The Alsatians and the Lorraines are people who will defend themselves till death, because they love their Emperor, and they would all be willing to die for him!"
I said that by way of prudence; but he could plainly see in my face that I was no fighting man, for he smiled good-humoredly, and said: "That will do, commandant, that is enough!"
The secretaries had kept on writing. Zimmer made a sign to me and we went out together. When we were outside he called out:
"Good-by, Moses, good-by!"
The sentinels let me pass, and still trembling, I continued my journey.
I was soon knocking at the little door of Baruch's house at the end of the lane where the cardinal's old stables were.
It was pitch dark.
What a joy it was, Fritz, after having seen all these terrible things, to come to the place where those I loved were resting! How softly my heart beat, and how I pitied all that power and glory which made so many people miserable!
After a moment I heard my son-in-law enter the passage and open the door. Baruch and Zeffen had long since ceased expecting me.
"Is it you, my father?" asked Baruch.
"Yes, my son, it is I. I am late. I have been hindered."
"Come!" said he.
And we entered the little passage, and then into the chamber where Zeffen, my daughter, lay pale and happy, upon her bed.
She had recognized my voice. As for me, my heart beat with joy; I could not speak; and I embraced my daughter, while I looked around to find the little one. Zeffen held it in her arms under the coverlet.
"There he is!" she said.
Then she showed him to me in his swaddling-clothes. I saw at once that he was plump and healthy, with his little hands closed tight, and I exclaimed:
"Baruch, this is Esdras, my father! Let him be welcome!"
I wanted to see him without his clothes, so I undressed him. It was warm in the little room from the lamp with seven burners. Tremblingly I undressed him; he did not cry, and my daughter's white hands assisted me:
"Wait, my father, wait!" said she.
My son-in-law looked on behind me. We all had tears in our eyes.
At last I had him all undressed; he was rosy, and his large head tossed about, sleeping the sleep of centuries. Then I lifted him above my head; I looked at his round thighs all in creases, at his little drawn-up feet, his broad chest and plump back, and I wanted to dance like David before the ark; I wanted to chant: "Praise