My Home in the Field of Honor Part 25

It was late when the last basin was emptied and Dr. Masbrennier untied his ap.r.o.n.

As we were was.h.i.+ng up, I asked if he would be good enough to guide me out of the hospital and tell me where there was a respectable restaurant to which a woman might go alone.

"I have neither hat, coat, nor gloves. They're coming in the carts."

"That's so; perhaps you haven't had anything since lunch and I've been making you work on an empty stomach!"

"Worse than that!" I laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing since breakfast at Jouy-le-Chatel."

"Good G.o.d, woman!" And taking me by the arm, he hurried me down the hall.

As we pa.s.sed out of the entrance door, a superior officer stopped Dr.

Masbrennier and though I advanced out of earshot the words, "evacuation"

and "to-night" were distinctly audible. A second later my companion caught up with me.

"So sorry I can't accompany you, but the whole hospital goes to Orleans immediately. Must make room for the new-comers! I'll 'phone home. The _gouvernante_ will make you comfortable." And he continued to give me explicit directions how to reach his house.

"You'd better come to Orleans where we can look after you."

"Sorry, but I've gone far enough south."

"_Alors au revoir et grand merci._"

"_Au revoir._"

And a second later I found myself outside in the chilly darkness.

For the first time in my life I had the sensation of being utterly alone. No one on earth knew where I was and if I had not had faith in Dr. Masbrennier's promise of a warm dinner, I should gladly have indulged in a little fit of despair. And so I wandered on down the dingy, black streets of Melun, where not a lamp post nor shop window was lighted, not a human being seemed astir. Where was my little troupe?

How and when would we all meet?

Thus ruminating I came to a bridge. A sentry flashed a pocket lamp in my face.

"_On ne pa.s.se pas!_"

I showed my armlet and he stepped aside.

Halfway across I distinguished two human forms leaning over the railing, and following their example I perceived a half-dozen _hommes du genie_ hard at work mining the foundation of the center arch. So these bridges were to be blown up, too! What was I to do? Stay on the other side and wait for my caravan or cross over and risk my chances alone? A reflector from below swung upward, illuminating the bridge.

"George!" I gasped.

One of the two figures straightened abruptly! In a second the boys had recognized me. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?"

I poured out a dozen eager questions, not giving them time to reply.

When almost breathless I stopped and they explained that the caravan had been halted on the outskirts of Melun. No refugees were allowed in after nightfall. Fortunately the boys bethought themselves of my wounded man's clothes and arms, and thanks to these they were allowed to pa.s.s and deliver them to the gendarmerie. Remembering that I had friends at Barbizon they had sent the others there by a round-about route, and had come on to find me.

"But how did you get here?"

"Cesar brought us."

"Where is he? And Betsy?"

"Oh, we found a dentist who had an empty stable. He took them in. Betsy refused to leave the cart. She's never had such a picnic in her life: been traveling all day in a ten pound box of lump sugar!"

All worry had vanished, now that I found my line of conduct traced for me. The chief thing at present was to get something to eat. So we pushed ahead up the hill in the ever-deepening obscurity. We walked on in silence for what seemed an interminable distance. Once I fancied I had mistaken directions and was about to despair when the tramp of feet coming toward us revived hope. A second later a brawny arm turned a lantern into my face and a huge police dog growled close to my heels.

"Are you the person who is going to Dr. Masbrennier's?"

"Yes."

"_Tres bien_. Are these boys with you?"

"Yes."

"Then follow me. We're closing up the doctor's house, but I'll look after you."

Without further ado we trudged on behind our guide, who after another hundred yards, turned into a gateway and led us up the stone steps of a sumptuous dwelling. Opening the door, he lit the electric light and stepped into the vestibule.

"Come in," he said. "I'll be back in a moment." And he disappeared.

There we stood, Leon, George and myself, waiting for something to happen, for someone to appear. Five--ten--fifteen minutes must have elapsed--still not a sound anywhere. I was just beginning to wonder if we had not been the dupes of some practical joke, when from a room opening into the vestibule a light shone forth. The curtains parted and our friend of the highroad appeared.

"Isn't much--but such as it is you're welcome. Sit down and make yourselves comfortable." And again he disappeared.

On a snowy white table cloth three covers were laid and a tempting supper composed of bread and b.u.t.ter, cheese, a bottle of white wine, and a huge basket of most luscious hothouse grapes and pears--gladdened our hungry gaze. We did not need a second invitation! We fell to with a vengeance and at the end of a quarter-hour hardly a crumb remained.

"When you've finished, come upstairs; Madame will take the first door to the right. You boys come up a flight higher," called a voice from above.

We obeyed, and before retiring I waited a good half-hour hoping our friend would reappear. But no one came--so bolting my door, I offered up a prayer of thanks and was soon fast asleep.

Sunday morning, September sixth, the sun was high in the heavens when I peeped from beneath my lace-bordered sheets and c.o.c.ked my ear at the familiar sound of the cannon. It was a long continuous roar, and now that I had become accustomed to distancing I estimated that the battle was on at Mormont. And I was not mistaken. A little later official news confirmed my guess.

Finding no bell in my room, I opened the door to see a pitcher of hot water sitting before it, and on a chair beside it, a new comb, a clean linen duster, and a pocket handkerchief. A brief note told me that I would find breakfast in the dining-room, and requested that I leave word on the table saying at what time I would be in for luncheon. Decidedly the mystery deepened--for not a sound could be heard save in the garden where I spied George and Leon, who informed me that the house was empty, and "a gorgeous house, Madame!" they e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed in admiration.

Though partially abandoned, Melun was full of life, thanks to the presence of numerous British troops and that same long line of A. S.

C.'s now quadrupled on the highroad--two lines going, two lines coming.

As I picked my way between them, and crossed the street, my attention was arrested by a French peasant who was conversing by means of the sign language with the handsome driver of one of those vans, while several children were clamoring to be allowed to sit on the seat a moment, "just to see how it seemed."

"Can I be of any a.s.sistance?"

"Rather! Seems good to hear English, thank you."

"Really?"