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diff --git a/old/frtwn10.txt b/old/frtwn10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b95311 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/frtwn10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3361 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The French Twins +by Lucy Fitch Perkins +(#6 in our series by Lucy Fitch Perkins) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before distributing this or any other +Project Gutenberg file. + +We encourage you to keep this file, exactly as it is, on your +own disk, thereby keeping an electronic path open for future +readers. Please do not remove this. + +This header should be the first thing seen when anyone starts to +view the etext. 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Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.10/04/01*END* + + + + +Produced for Project Gutenberg by Lynn Hill + +This PG project is dedicated to the "Twins Team" of Luana, +Miriam, and DeWayne, who all helped keep me going through thick +and thin. If anybody out there has more "Twins" books which you +would be willing to share with PG, please let me know! + +Contact info: hill_lynn@hotmail.com + + + +To all friends of the brave children of France + +Map of the Voyage + +THE FRENCH TWINS + +by Lucy Fitch Perkins + + + +CONTENTS + +I. THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE +II. ON THE WAY H0ME +III. THE COMING OF THE GERMANS +IV. THE RETURN OF THE FRENCH +V. AT MADAMS COUDERT'S +VI. THE BURNING OF THE CATHEDRAL +VII. HOME AGAIN +VIII. REFUGEES +IX. THE FOREIGN LEGION +X. FONTANELLE +XI. A SURPRISE +XII. MORNING IN THE MEADOW +XIII. CHILDREN OF THE LEGION + + + +I. THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE + +The sunlight of the clear September afternoon shone across the +roofs of the City of Rheims, and fell in a yellow flood upon the +towers of the most beautiful cathedral in the world, turning them +into two shining golden pillars against the deep blue of the +eastern sky. + +The streets below were already in shadow, but the sunshine still +poured through the great rose window above the western portal, +lighting the dim interior of the church with long shafts of +brilliant reds, blues, and greens, and falling at last in a +shower of broken color upon the steps of the high altar. +Somewhere in the mysterious shadows an unseen musician touched +the keys of the great organ, and the voice of the Cathedral +throbbed through its echoing aisles in tremulous waves of sound. +Above the deep tones of the bass notes a delicate melody floated, +like a lark singing above the surf. + +Though the great church seemed empty but for sound and color, +there lingered among its shadows a few persons who loved it well. +There were priests and a few worshipers. There was also Father +Varennes, the Verger, and far away in one of the small chapels +opening from the apse in the eastern end good Mother Meraut was +down upon her knees, not praying as you might suppose, but +scrubbing the stone floor. Mother Meraut was a wise woman; she +knew when to pray and when to scrub, and upon occasion did both +with equal energy to the glory of God and the service of his +Church. Today it was her task to make the little chapel clean and +sweet, for was not the Abbe coming to examine the Confirmation +Class in its catechism, and were not her own two children, Pierre +and Pierette, in the class? In time to the heart-beats of the +organ, Mother Meraut swept her brush back and forth, and it was +already near the hour for the class to assemble when at last she +set aside her scrubbing-pail, wiped her hands upon her apron, and +began to dust the chairs which had been standing outside the +arched entrance, and to place them in orderly rows within the +chapel. + +She had nearly completed her task, when there was a tap-tapping +upon the stone floor, and down the long aisle, leaning upon his +crutch, came Father Varennes. He stopped near the chapel and +watched her as she whisked the last chair into place and then +paused with her hands upon her hips to make a final inspection of +her work. + +"Bonjour, Antoinette," said the Verger. + +Mother Meraut turned her round, cheerful face toward him. "Ah, it +is you, Henri," she cried, "come, no doubt, to see if the chapel +is clean enough for the Abbe! Well, behold." + +The Verger peered through the arched opening, and sniffed the +wet, soapy smell which pervaded the air. "One might even eat from +your clean floor, Antoinette," he said, smiling, "and taste +nothing worse with his food than a bit of soap. Truly the chapel +is as clean as a shriven soul." + +"It's a bold bit of dirt that would try to stand out against me," +declared Mother Meraut, with a flourish of her dust-cloth, "for +when I go after it I think to myself, 'Ah, if I but had one of +those detestable Germans by the nose, how I would grind it!' and +the very thought brings such power to my elbow that I check +myself lest I wear through the stones of the floor." + +The Verger laughed, then shook his head. "Truly, Antoinette," he +said, "I believe you could seize your husband's gun if he were to +fall, and fill his place in the Army as well as you fill his +place here in the Cathedral, doing a man's work with a woman's +strength, and smiling as if it were but play! Our France can +never despair while there are women like you." + +"My Jacques shall carry his own gun," said Mother Meraut, +stoutly, "and bring it home with him when the war is over, if God +wills, and may it be soon! Meanwhile I will help to keep our holy +Cathedral clean as he used to do. It is not easy work, but one +must do what one can, and surely it is better to do it with +smiles than with tears!" + +The Verger nodded. "That is true," he said, "yet it is hard to +smile in the face of sorrow." + +"But we must smile--though our hearts break--for France, and for +our children, lest they forget joy!" cried Mother Meraut. She +smiled as she spoke, though her lip trembled "I will you the +truth, Henri, sometimes when I think of what the Germans have +already done in Belgium, and may yet do in France, I feel my +heart breaking in my bosom. And then I say to myself, 'Courage, +Antoinette! It is our business to live bravely for the France +that is to be when this madness is over. Our armies are still +between us and the Boche. It is not time to be afraid.'" + +"And I tell you, they shall not pass," cried Father Varennes, +striking his crutch angrily upon the stone floor. "The brave +soldiers of France will not permit it! Oh, if I could but carry a +gun instead of this!" He rattled his crutch despairingly as he +spoke. + +Mother Meraut sighed. "Though I am a woman, I too wish I might +fight the invaders," she said, "but since I may not carry a gun, +I will put all the more energy into my broom and sweep the dirt +from the Cathedral as I would sweep the Germans back to the Rhine +if I could." + +"It is, indeed, the only way for women, children, and such as I," +grieved the Verger. + +"Tut, tut," answered Mother Meraut cheerfully, "it isn't given us +to choose our service. If God had wanted us to fight he would +have given us power to do it." + +The Verger shook his head. "I wish I were sure of that," he said, +"for there's going to be need for all the fighting blood in +France if half one hears is true. They say now that the Germans +are already far over the French border and that our Army is +retreating before them. The roads are more than ever crowded with +refugees, and the word they bring is that the Germans have +already reached the valley of the Aisne." + +"But that is at our very doors!" cried Mother Meraut. "It is +absurd, that rumor. Chicken hearts! They listen to nothing but +their fears. As for me, I will not believe it until I must. I +will trust in the Army as I do in my God and the holy Saints." + +"Amen," responded the Verger devoutly. + +At this moment the great western portal swung on its hinges, a +patch of light showed itself against the gloom of the interior of +the Cathedral, and the sound of footsteps and of fresh young +voices mingled with the tones of the organ. + +"It's the children, bless their innocent hearts," said Mother +Meraut. "I hear the voices of my Pierre and Pierrette." + +"And I of my Jean," said the Verger, starting hastily down the +aisle. "The little magpies forget they must be quiet in the House +of God!" He shook his finger at them and laid it warningly upon +his lips. The noise instantly subsided, and it was a silent and +demure little company that tiptoed up the aisle, bent the knee +before the altar, and then filed past Mother Meraut into the +chapel which she had made so clean. + +Pierre and Pierrette led the procession, and Mother Meraut beamed +with pride as they blew her a kiss in passing. They were children +that any mother might be proud of. Pierrette had black, curling +hair and blue eyes with long black lashes, and Pierre was a +straight, tall, and manly-looking boy. The Twins were nine years +old. + +Mother Meraut knew many of the children in the Confirmation +Class, for they were all schoolmates and companions of Pierre and +Pierrette. There was Paul, the sore of the inn-keeper, with +Marie, his sister. There was Victor, whose father rang the +Cathedral chimes. There were David and Genevieve, and Madeleine +and Virginie and Etienne, and last of all there was jean, the +Verger's son--little Jean, the youngest in the class. Mother +Meraut nodded to them all as they passed. + +Promptly on the first stroke of the hour the Abbe appeared in the +north transept of the Cathedral and made his way with quick, +decided steps toward the chapel. He was a young man with thick +dark hair almost concealed beneath his black three-cornered cap, +and as he walked, his long black soutane swung about him in +vigorous folds. When he appeared in the door of the chapel the +class rose politely to greet him. "Bonjour, my children," said +the Abbe, and then, turning his back upon them, bowed before the +crucifix upon the chapel altar. + +Mother Meraut and the Verger slipped quietly away to their work +in other portions of the church, and the examination began. First +the Abby asked the children to recite the Lord's Prayer, the +Creed, and the Ten Commandments in unison, and when they had done +this without a mistake, he said "Bravo! Now I wonder if you can +each do as well alone? Let me see, I will call upon--" He paused +and looked about as if he were searching for the child who was +most likely to do it well. + +Three girls--Genevieve, Virginie, and Pierrette--raised their +hands and waved them frantically in the air, but, curiously +enough, the Abbe did not seem to see them. Instead his glance +fell upon Pierre, who was gazing thoughtfully at the vaulted +ceiling and hoping with all his heart that the Abbe would not +call upon him. "Pierre!" he said, and any one looking at him very +closely might have seen a twinkle in his eye as Pierre withdrew +his gaze from the ceiling and struggled reluctantly to his feet. +"You may recite the Ten Commandments." + +Pierre began quite glibly, "Thou shalt have no other gods before +me," and went on, with only two mistakes and one long wait, until +he had reached the fifth. "Thou shalt not kill," he recited, and +then to save his life he could not think what came next. He gazed +imploringly at the ceiling again, and at the high stained-glass +window, but they told him nothing. He kicked backward gently, +hoping that Pierrette, who sat next, would prompt him, but she +too failed to respond. "I'll ask a question," thought Pierre des +perately, "and while the Abbe is answering maybe it will come to +me." Aloud he said: "If you please, your reverence, I don't +understand about that commandment. It says, 'Thou shalt not +kill,' and yet our soldiers have gone to war on purpose to kill +Germans, and the priests blessed them as they marched away!" + +This was indeed a question! The class gasped with astonishment at +Pierre's boldness in asking it. The Abbe paused a moment before +answering. Then he said, "If you, Pierre, were to shoot a man in +the street in order to take his purse, would that be wrong?" + +"Yes," answered the whole class. + +"Very well," said the Abbe, "so it would. But if you should see a +murderer attack your mother or your sister, and you should kill +him before he could carry out his wicked purpose, would that be +just the same thing?" + +"No," wavered the class, a little doubtfully. + +"If instead of defending your mother or sister you were simply to +stand aside and let the murderer kill them both, you would really +be helping the murderer, would you not? It is like that today in +France. An enemy is upon us who seeks to kill us so that he may +rob us of our beautiful home land. God sees our hearts. He knows +that the soldiers of France go forth not to kill Germans but to +save France! not wantonly to take life, but because it is the +only way to save lives for which they themselves are ready to +die. Ah, my children, it is one thing to kill as a murderer +kills; it is quite another to be willing to die that others may +live! Our Blessed Lord--" + +The Abbe lifted his hand to make the sign of the Cross--but it +was stayed in mid-air. The sentence he had begun was never +finished, for at that moment the great bell in the Cathedral +tower began to ring. It was not the clock striking the hour; it +was not the chimes calling the people to prayer. Instead, it was +the terrible sound of the alarm bell ringing out a warning to the +people of Rheims that the Germans were at their doors. + +Wide-eyed with terror, the children sprang from their seats, but +the Abbe, with hand uplifted, blocked the entrance and commanded +them to stay where they were. + +"Let no one leave the Cathedral," he cried. + +At this instant Mother Meraut appeared upon the threshold +searching for her children, and behind her, coming as fast as his +lameness would permit, came the Verger. The Abbe turned to them. +"I leave these children all in your care," he said. "Stay with +them until I return." + +And without another word he disappeared in the shadows. + +Mother Meraut sat down on one of the chairs she had dusted so +carefully, and gathered the frightened children about her as a +hen gathers her chickens under her wing. "There, now," she said +cheerfully, as she wiped their tears upon the corner of her +apron, "let's save our tears until we really know what we have to +cry for. There never yet was misery that couldn't be made worse +by crying, anyway. The boys will be brave, of course, whatever +happens. And the girls--surely they will remember that it was a +girl who once saved France, and meet misfortune bravely, like our +blessed Saint Jeanne d'Arc." + +The Cathedral organ had ceased to fill the great edifice with +sweet and inspiring sounds. Instead, there now was only the +muffled tread of marching feet, the rumble of heavy wheels, and +the low, ominous beating of drums to break the stillness. + +Mother Meraut and the children waited obediently in the chapel, +scarcely breathing in their suspense, while Father Varennes went +tap-tapping up and down the aisles eagerly watching for the Abbe +to reappear. At last he came. Mother Meraut, the Verger, and the +children all crowded about him, waiting breathlessly for him to +speak. + +The Abbe was pale, but his voice was firm. "I have been to the +north tower," he said, "and there I could see for miles in every +direction. Far away to the east and north are massed the hordes +of the German Army; they are coming toward Rheims as a thunder- +cloud comes rolling over the sky. Between us and them is our +Army, but alas, their faces are turned this way. They are +retreating before the German hosts! Already French troops are +marching through Rheims; already the streets are filled with +people who are fleeing from their homes for fear of the Boche. +Unless God sends a miracle, our City is indeed doomed, for a time +at least, to wear the German yoke." + +He paused, and the children burst into wild weeping. Mother +Meraut hushed them with comforting words. "Do not cry, my +darlings," she said. "God is not dead, and we shall yet live to +see justice done and our dear land restored to us. The soldiers +now in the streets are all our own brave defenders. We shall be +able to go in safety, even though in sorrow, to our homes." + +"Come," said the Abbe, "there is no time to lose. Our Army will, +without doubt, make a stand on the plains west of the City, and +it will not be long before the Germans pass through. You must go +to your homes as fast as possible. Henri, you remain here with +your Jean, that you may meet any of the parents who come for +their children. Tell them I have gone with them myself and will +deliver each child safely at his own door." + +"I can take cart of my own," said Mother Meraut. "You need have +no fear for us." + +"Very well," said the Abbe, and, calling the rest of the children +about him, he marched them down the aisle and out into the +street. + +Mother Meraut followed with Pierre and Pierrette. At the door +they paused and stood for a moment under the great sculptured +arches to survey the scene before them. The great square before +the Cathedral was filled with people, some weeping, others +standing about as if dazed by sorrow. Between the silent crowds +which lined the sidewalks passed the soldiers, grim and with set +faces, keeping time to the throbbing of the drums as they +marched. Above the scene, in the center of the square, towered +the beautiful statue of Jeanne d'Arc, mounted upon her charger +and lifting her sword toward the sky. + +"Ah," murmured Mother Meraut to herself, "our blessed Maid still +keeps guard above the City!" She lifted her clasped hands toward +the statue. "Blessed Saint Jeanne," she prayed, "hear us in +Paradise, and come once more to save our beautiful France!" + +Then, waving a farewell to the Verger and Jean, who had followed +them to the door, she took her children by the hand and plunged +with them into the sad and silent crowd. + + + +II. ON THE WAY HOME + +For some time after leaving the Cathedral, Mother Meraut and the +Twins lingered in the streets, forgetful of everything but the +retreating Army and the coming invasion. Everywhere there were +crowds surging to and fro. Some were hastening to close their +places of business and put up their shutters before the Germans +should arrive. Some were hurrying through the streets carrying +babies and bundles. Others were wheeling their few belongings +upon barrows or in baby-carriages. Still others flew by on +bicycles with packages of clothing fastened to the handle-bars; +and there were many automobiles loaded to the brim with household +goods and fleeing families. + +Doors were flung open and left swinging on their hinges as people +escaped, scarcely looking behind them as they fled. These were +refugees from Rheims itself. There were many others wearily +plodding through the City, people who had come from Belgium and +the border towns of France. Some who had come from farms drove +pitiful cattle before them, and some journeyed in farm wagons, +with babies and old people, chickens, dogs, and household goods +mixed in a heap upon beds of straw. In all the City there was not +a cheerful sight, and everywhere, above all other sounds, were +heard the rumble of wheels, the sharp clap-clap of horses' hoofs +upon the pavement, and the steady beat of marching feet. + +At last, weary and heartsick, the three wanderers turned into a +side street and stepped into a little shop where food was sold. +"We must have some supper," said Mother Meraut to the Twins, +"Germans or no Germans! One cannot carry a stout heart above an +empty stomach! And if it is to be our last meal in French Rheims, +let us at least make it a good one!" Though there was a catch in +her voice, she smiled almost gaily as she spoke. "Who knows?" she +went on. "Perhaps after to-morrow we shall be able to get nothing +but sauerkraut and sausage!" + +The shop was not far from the little home of the Merauts, and +they often bought things of stout Madame Coudert, whose round +face with its round spectacles rose above the counter like a full +moon from behind a cloud. "Ah, mon amie," said Mother Meraut as +she entered the shop, "it is good to see you sitting in your +place and not running away like a hare before the hounds!" + +Madame Coudert shrugged her shoulders. "But of what use is it to +run when one has no place to run to?" she demanded. "As for me, I +stay by the shop and die at least respectably among my own cakes +and pies. To run through the country and die at last in a ditch-- +it would not suit me at all!" + +"Bravo," cried Mother Meraut triumphantly. "Just my own idea! My +children and I will remain in our home and take what comes, +rather than leap from the frying-pan into the fire as so many are +doing. If every one runs away, there will be no Rheims at all." +Then to Pierre and Pierrette she said "Choose, each of you. What +shall we buy for our supper?" + +Pierre pointed a grimy finger at a small cake with pink frosting. +"That," he said briefly. + +His mother smiled. "Ah, Pierre, that sweet-tooth of yours!" she +cried. "Like Marie Antoinette you think if one lacks bread one +may eat cakes! And now it is Pierrette's turn; only be quick, ma +mie, for it is already late." + +"Eggs," said Pierrette promptly, "for one of your savory omelets, +mamma, and a bit of cheese." + +The purchases were quickly made, and, having said good-night to +Madame Coudert, they hurried on to the little house in the Rue +Charly where they lived. When they reached home, it was already +quite dark. Mother Meraut hastened up the steps and unlocked the +door, and in less time than it takes to tell it her bonnet was +off, the fire was burning, and the omelet was cooking on the +stove. + +Pierrette set the table. "I'm going to place father's chair too," +she said to her mother. "He is no doubt thinking of us as we are +of him, and it will make him stem nearer." + +Mother Meraut nodded her head without speaking, and wiped her +eyes on her apron as she slid the omelet on to a hot plate. Then +she seated herself opposite the empty chair and with a steady +voice prayed for a blessing upon the food and upon the Armies of +France. + +When they had finished supper, cleared it away, and put the +kitchen in order, Mother Meraut pointed to the clock. "Voila!" +she cried, "hours past your bedtime, and here you are still +flapping about like two young owls! To bed with you as fast as +you can go." + +"But, Mother," began Pierre. + +"Not a single 'but,'" answered his Mother, wagging her finger at +him. "Va!" + +The children knew protest was useless, and in a few minutes they +were snugly tucked away. Long after they were both sound asleep, +their Mother sat with her head bowed upon the table, listening, +listening to the distant sound of marching feet. At last, worn +out with grief and anxiety, shat too undressed, said her rosary, +and, after a long look at her sleeping children, blew out the +candle and crept into bed beside Pierrette. + +Silence and darkness settled down upon the little household, and, +for a time at least, their sorrows were forgotten in the blessed +oblivion of sleep. + + + +III. THE COMING OF THE GERMANS + +When the Twins opened their eyes the next morning, the first +thing they saw was the sun shining in at the eastern window of +the kitchen, and Mother Meraut bending over the fire. There was a +smell of chocolate in the air, and on the table there were rolls +and butter. Pierre yawned and rubbed his eyes. Pierrette sat up +and tried to think what it was she was so unhappy about; sleep +had, for the time being, swept the terrors of the night quite out +of her mind. In an instant more the fearful truth rolled over her +like a wave, and she sank back upon the pillow with a little +moan. + +Her Mother heard and understood. She too had waked from sleep to +sorrow, but she only cried out cheerfully, "Bonjour, my sleepy +heads! Last night you did not want to go to your beds at all. +This morning you wish not to leave them! Hop into your clothes as +fast as you can, or we shall be late." + +"Late where?" asked Pierre. + +"To my work at the Cathedral, to be sure," answered Mother Meraut +promptly. "Where else? Did you think the Germans would make me +sit at home and cry for terror while my work waits? Whoever rules +in Rheims, the Cathedral still stands and must be kept clean." + +It was wonderful how the dismal world brightened to Pierre and +Pierrette as they heard their Mother's brave voice. They flew out +of bed at once and were dressed in a twinkling. + +While they ate their breakfast, Pierre thought of a plan. "We +ought to take a lot of food with us to-day," he said to his +Mother. "There's no telling what may happen before night. Maybe +we can't get home at all and shall have to sleep in the +Cathedral." + +"Oh," shuddered Pierrette, "among all those tombs?" + +"There are worse places where one might sleep," said the Mother. +"The dead are less to be feared than the living, and the +Cathedral is the safest place in Rheims." She brought out a +wicker basket and began to pack it with food as she talked. First +she put in two pots of jam. "There," said she, "that's the jam +Grandmother made from her gooseberries at the farm." + +She paused, struck by a new alarm. Her father and mother lived in +a tiny village far west of Rheims. What if the Germans should +succeed in getting so far as that? What would become of them? She +shut her fears in her breast, saying nothing to the children, and +went on filling the basket. "Here is a bit of cheese left from +last night. I'll put that in, and a pat of butter," she said; +"but we must stop at Madame Coudert's for more bread. You two +little pigs have eaten every scrap there was in the house." + +"There are eggs left," suggested Pierrette. + +"So there are, ma mie," said her Mother. "We will boil them all +and take them with us. There's a great deal of nourishment in +eggs." She flew to get the saucepan, and while the eggs bubbled +and boiled on the stove, she and the children set the little +kitchen in order and got themselves ready for the street. + +It was after nine o'clock when at last Mother Meraut took the +basket on her arm and gave Pierrette her knitting to carry, and +the three started down the steps. + +"Everything looks just the same as it did yesterday," said +Pierrette as they walked down the street. "There's that little +raveled-out dog that always barks at Pierre, and there's Madame +Coudert's cat asleep on the railing, just as she always is." + +"Yes," said Mother Meraut, with a sigh, "the cats and dogs are +the same, it is only the people who are different!" + +They entered the shop and exchanged greetings with Madame +Coudert. They had bought a long loaf of bread, and Mother Mcraut +was just opening her purse to pay for it, when suddenly a shot +rang out. It was followed by the rattle of falling tiles. Another +and another came, and soon there was a perfect rain of shot and +shell. + +"It is the Germans knocking at the door of Rheims before they +enter," remarked Madame Coudert with grim humor. "I did not +expect so much politeness!" + +Mother Meraut did not reply. For once her cheerful tongue found +nothing comforting to say. Pierre clung to her arm, and Pierrette +put her fingers in her ears and hid her face against her Mother's +breast. + +For some time the deafening sounds continued. From the window +they could see people running for shelter in every direction. A +man came dashing down the street; dodging falling tiles as he +ran, and burst into Madame Coudert's shop. He had just come from +the Rue Colbert and had news to tell. "The Boches have sent an +emissary to the Mayor to demand huge supplies of provisions from +the City, and a great sum of money besides," he told them, as he +gasped for breath. "They are shelling the champagne cellars and +the public buildings of the City to scare us into giving them +what they demand. The German Army will soon be here." + +In a few moments there was a lull in the roar of the guns, and +then in the distance another sound was heard. It was a mighty +song of triumph as the conquerors came marching into Rheims! + +"There won't be any more shooting for a while anyway," said the +stranger, who had now recovered his breath. "They won't shell the +City while it's full of their own men. I'm going to see them come +in." + +All Pierre's fears vanished in an instant. "Come on," he cried, +wild with excitement; "let us go too." + +"I'll not stir a foot from my shop," said Madame Coudert firmly. +"I don't want to see the Germans, and if they want to see me, +they can come where I am." + +But Pierre had not waited for a reply, from her or any one else. +He was already running up the street. + +"Catch him, catch him," gasped Mother Meraut. + +Pierrette dashed after Pierre, and as she could run like the +wind, she soon caught up with him and seized him by the skirt of +his blouse. "Stop! stop!" she screamed. "Mother doesn't want you +to go." + +But she might as well have tried to argue with a hurricane. +Pierre danced up and down with rage, as Pierrette braced herself, +and firmly anchored him by his blouse. "Leggo, leggo!" he +shrieked. "I'm going, I tell you! I'm not afraid of any Germans +alive." + +Just then, panting and breathless, Mother Meraut arrived upon the +scene. While Pierrette held on to his blouse, she attached +herself to his left ear. It had a very calming effect upon +Pierre. He stopped tugging to get away lest he lose his ear. + +"Foolish boy," said his Mother, "see how much trouble you give +me! You shall see the Germans, but you shall not run away from +me. If we should get separated, God only knows whether we should +ever find each other again." + +The music had grown louder and louder, and was now very near. +"I'll stay with you, if you'll only go," pleaded Pierre, "but you +aren't even moving." + +"Come, Pierrette," said his Mother, "take hold of his left arm. I +will attend to his right; he might forget again. What he really +needs is a bit and bridle!" + +The three moved up the street, Pierre chafing inwardly, but +helpless in his Mother's grasp, and at the next crossing the +great spectacle burst upon them. A whole regiment of cavalry was +passing, singing at the top of their lungs, "Lieb' Vaterland, +macht ruhig sein." The sun glistened on their helmets, and the +clanking of swords and the jingling of spurs kept time with the +swelling chorus. After the cavalry came soldiers on foot--miles +of them. + +"Oh," murmured Pierrette, clinging to +her Mother, "it's like a river of men!" + +Her Mother did not answer. Pierrette looked up into her face. The +tears were streaming down her cheeks, but her head was proudly +erect. She looked at the other French people about them. There +were tears on many cheeks, but not a head was bowed. Pierre was +glaring at the troops and muttering through his teeth: "Just you +wait till I grow up! I'll make you pay for this, you pirates! +I'll--" + +"Hush!" whispered Pierrette. "Suppose they should hear you!" + +"I don't care if they do! I wish they would!" raged Pierre. "I'm +going--" + +But the German Army was destined not to suffer the consequences +of Pierre's wrath. He did not even have a chance to tell +Pierrette his plan for their destruction, for at this point his +Mother, unable longer to endure the sight, dragged him forcibly +from the scene. "They shall not parade their colors before me," +she said firmly, "I will not stand still and look in silence upon +my conquerors! If I could but face them with a gun, that would be +different!" + +She led the children through a maze of small streets by a +roundabout way to the Cathedral, and there they were met at the +entrance by the Verger, who gazed at them with sad surprise. +"You've been out in the street during the bombardment," he said +reproachfully. "It's just like you, Antoinette." + +"Oh, but how was I to know it was coming?" cried Mother Meraut. +"We left home before it began!" + +"It would have been just the same if you had known," scolded the +Verger. "Germans or devils--it would make no difference to you! +You have no fear in you." + +"You misjudge me," cried Mother Meraut; "but what good would it +do to sit and quake in my own house? There is no safety anywhere, +and here at least there is work to do." + +"You can go about your work as usual with the noise of guns +ringing in your ears and the Germans marching through Rheims?" +exclaimed the Verger. + +"Why not?" answered Mother Meraut, with spirit. "I guess our +soldiers don't knock off work every time a gun goes off or a few +Germans come in sight! It would be a shame if we could not follow +their example!" ` + +"Antoinette, you are a wonderful woman. I have always said so," +declared the Verger solemnly. "You are as brave as a man!" + +"Pooh!" said Mother Meraut, mockingly. "As if the men, bless +their hearts, were so much braver than women, anyway! Oh, la! la! +the conceit of you!" She wagged a derisive finger at the Verger, +and, calling the children, went to get her scrubbing-pail and +brushes. + +All day long, while distant guns roared, she went about her daily +tasks, keeping one spot of order and cleanliness in the midst of +the confusion, disorder, and destruction of the invaded city. The +Twins were busy, too; their Mother saw to that. They dusted +chairs and placed them in rows; and at noon they found a corner +where the light falling through one of the beautiful stained- +glass windows made a spot of cheerful color in the gloom, and +there they ate part of the lunch which they had packed in the +wicker basket. During all the excitement of the morning they had +not forgotten the lunch! + +When the day's work was done, they ventured out upon the streets +in the gathering dusk. They found them full of German soldiers, +drinking, swaggering, singing, and they saw many strange and +terrifying sights in the havoc wrought by the first bombardment. +As they passed the door of Madame Coudert's shop, they peeped in +and saw her sitting stolidly behind the counter, knitting. + +"Oh," said Pierrette, "doesn't it seem like a year since we were +here this morning?" + +Mother Meraut called out a cheerful greeting to Madame Coudert. +"Still in your place, I see," she said. + +"Like the Pyramids," came the calm answer; and, cheered by her +fortitude, they hurried on their way to the little house in the +Rue Charly. + +Mother Meraut sighed with relief as she unlocked the door. +"Everything just as we left it," she said. "We at least shall +have one more night in our own home." Then she drew the children +into the shelter of the dear, familiar roof and locked the door +from the inside. + + + +IV. THE RETURN OF THE FRENCH + +One unhappy day followed upon another for the inhabitants of +Rheims. Each night they went to bed in terror; each morning they +rose to face new trials and dangers. Yet their spirit did not +fail. Each day the roar of guns toward the west grew fainter and +more distant, and the people knew with sinking hearts that the +Germans had driven the Armies of France farther and farther back +toward Paris. Each day the conduct of the conquerors grew more +arrogant. "Our Emperor will soon be in Paris!" they said. + +On the public monuments and in the squares of the City appeared +German proclamations printed upon green paper, warning the people +of Rheims of terrible punishments which would befall them if they +in any way rebelled against the will of the victorious invaders. +It was only with great difficulty that Pierre could be dragged by +these signs. Each morning as they went to the Cathedral they had +to pass several of them, and Pierrette and her Mother soon +learned to take precautions against an outburst of rage which +might bring down upon his rash head the wrath of the enemy. The +eye of the Germans seemed everywhere. One of these posters was +fixed to the window of Madame Coudert's shop. On the morning that +it first appeared, Pierre in passing made a dash for the gutter, +picked up a handful of mud, and threw it squarely into the middle +of the poster. + +Madame Coudert saw him, and winked solemnly, but did not move. +His Mother instantly collared Pierre, and led him up a side +street just in time to escape the clutches of a German officer +who had seen him a block away, and came on the run after him. +When, puffing and blowing, he at last reached the shop there was +no one in sight except Madame Coudert behind her counter. The +enraged officer pointed out the insult that had been offered his +country. + +Madame Coudert looked surprised and concerned. She followed the +officer to the door, and gazed at the disfigured poster. "I will +clean it at once," she said obligingly. She got out soap and a +brush immediately, and when she had finished, her work had been +so thoroughly done that not a spot of mud was left, but +unfortunately the center of the poster was rubbed through and +quite illegible, and the rest of it was all streaked and stained! +"Will that do?" she asked the officer, looking at him with round, +innocent eyes and so evident a desire to please that, in spite of +an uneasy suspicion, he merely grunted and went his way. + +The first time they came into the shop after this episode Madame +Coudert gave Pierre a cake with pink frosting on it. + +In this way a whole week dragged itself by, and, on the morning +of the eighth day after the German entry into Rheims, Mother +Meraut and the Twins left home earlier than usual in order to +reach the Cathedral before the bombardment, which they had +learned daily to expect, should begin. They found Madame Coudert +in front of her shop; washing the window. A large corner of the +poster was now gone. "It rained last night," she said to Mother +Meraut, "and the green color ran down on my window. I had to wash +it, and accidentally I rubbed off a corner of the poster. It +can't be very good paper." She looked solemly at Pierre. "Too +bad, isn't it?" she said, and closed one eye behind her round +spectacles. + +"The weather seems to have damaged a good many of them, I +notice," answered Mother Meraut, with just a suspicion of a +smile. "The weather has been quite pleasant too,--strange!" + +"Weather--nothing!" said Pierre, scornfully. "I'll bet you that-- +" + +It seemed as if Pierre was always being interrupted at just the +most exciting moment of his remarks, but this time he interrupted +himself. "What's that?" he said, stopping short. Madame Coudert, +his Mother, and Pierrette, all stood perfectly still, their eyes +wide, their lips parted, listening, listening! They heard cannon- +shots, then music--toward the west--coming nearer--nearer. + +"It is--oh, it is the Marseillaise!" shrieked Pierrette. + +Mother Meraut and the Twins ran toward the sound. Now shouts were +heard--joyous shouts--from French throats! Never had they heard +such a sound! People came tumbling out of their houses, some not +fully dressed--but who cared? The French were returning +victorious from the battle of the Marne. They were coming again +into Rheims, driving the Germans before them! Ah, but when the +red trousers actually appeared in the streets the populace went +mad with joy! They embraced the soldiers; they marched beside +them with tears streaming down their cheeks, singing "March on! +March on!" as though they would split their throats. Pierre and +Pierrette marched and sang with the others, their Mother close +beside them. + +On and on came the singing, joy-maddened people, right past +Madame Coudert's shop, and there, standing on the curb, with a +tray in her arms piled high with goodies, was Madame Coudert +herself. The green poster was already torn in shreds and lying in +the gutter. It even looked as if some one had stamped on it, and +above her door waved the tricolor of France! "Come here," she +cried to Pierre and Pierrette, "Quick! Hand these out to the +soldiers as long as there's one left!" + +Pierre seized a pink frosted cake, and ran with it to a Captain. +Pierrette gave a sugar roll to the first soldier she could reach; +other hands helped. Mother Meraut ran into the shop and brought +out more cakes. Shop-keepers all along the way followed Madame +Coudert's example, and soon people everywhere were bringing +offerings of candy, chocolate, and cigars to the soldiers, and +the streets suddenly blossomed with blue, white, and red flags. +At the corner, near Madame Coudert's shop, Pierre had the joy of +seeing the German officer who had tried to catch him surrender to +the Captain who had taken the pink cake. Oh, what a moment that +was for Pierre! He sprang into the gutter as the German passed +and savagely jumped up and down upon the fragments of the green +poster! It was a matter for bitter regret to him long after that +the German did not seem to notice him. + +The whole morning passed in such joy and excitement that it was +nearly noon when at last Mother Meraut, beaming with happiness, +and accompanied by a radiant Pierre and Pierrette, entered the +Cathedral. They were astonished to find it no longer the silent +and dim sanctuary to which they were accustomed. The Abbe' was +there, and the Verger, looking quite distracted, was directing a +group of men in moving the praying-chairs from the western end of +the Cathedral, and the space where they had been was already +covered with heaps of straw. Under the great choir at the western +end there were piles of broken glass. Part of the wonderful rose +window had been shattered by a shell, and lay in a million +fragments on the stone floor. + +Mother Meraut clasped her hands in dismay. "What does it all +mean?" she demanded of the Verger, as he went tap-tapping by +after the workmen. "What do you wish me to do?" + +"Gather up every fragment of glass," said the Verger briefly, +"and put them in a safe place. The wounded are on the way, and +are to be housed in the Cathedral. We must be ready for them. +There is no time to lose." + +As Mother Meraut flew to carry out his directions, the Abbe' +beckoned to the children. "Can you be trusted to do an errand for +me?" he said. + +"Yes, Your Reverence," answered Pierre. + +"Very well," said the Abbe. "I want you to get for the towers two +Red Cross flags. They must be the largest size, and we must have +them soon. The wounded may arrive at any moment now, and the Red +Cross will protect the Cathedral from shell-fire, for not even +Germans would destroy a hospital." He gave them careful +directions, and a note for the shop-keeper. "Now run along, both +of you," he said. "Tell your Mother where you are going, and that +I sent you." + +In two minutes the Twins were on their way, but it was more than +an hour before they got back. First, the shop-keeper was out, and +when he got back it took him some time to find large enough +flags. At last, however, they returned, each carrying one done up +in a paper parcel. + +"Here are the flags," Pierre announced proudly to the Verger, who +met them at the entrance. + +"Yes," said Father Varennes, "here they are, and here you are. +Come in, your Mother wants to see you." The children followed him +through the door, and although they had been told that the +wounded were to be brought to the Cathedral, they were not +prepared for the sight that met their eyes as they entered. On +the heaps of straw lay tossing moaning men, in the gray uniforms +of the German army. + +Pierrette seized Pierre's hand. "Oh," she shuddered, "I didn't +think they'd be Germans!" + +"They aren't--all of them," said the Verger, a little huskily. +"Some of them are French. The Church shelters them all." + +Doctors in white aprons were already in attendance upon the +wounded, and nurses with red crosses on the sleeves of their +white uniforms flitted silently back and forth on errands of +mercy. The two children, clinging to each other and gazing +fearfully about them, followed the Verger down the aisle. As they +passed a heap of straw upon which a wounded German lay, something +bright rolled from it to them and dropped at Pierrette's feet. +Pierre sprang to pick it up. It was a German helmet. Across the +front of it were letters. Pierre spelled them--"Gott mit uns." +"What does that mean?" he asked the Verger. + +"God with us," snorted Father Varennes. "I suppose the poor +wretches actually believe He is." + +The Abbe' was waiting for them in the aisle, and he took from +them the flags and the helmet. He had heard the Verger's reply, +and guessed what the question must have been. "My boy," he said, +laying his hand gently upon Pierre's head for an instant, "God is +not far from any of his children. It is they who, through sin, +separate themselves from Him! But never mind theology now. Your +Mother is waiting for you. I will take you to her." + +The Twins thought it strange that the Abbe' should himself guide +them to their Mother. They followed his broad back and swinging +black soutane to the farthest corner of the hospital space. +There, beside a mound of straw upon which was stretched a wounded +soldier in French uniform, knelt their Mother, and the Twins, +looking down, met the eyes of their own Father gazing up at them. + +"Gently! my dears, gently!" cautioned their Mother, as the +children fell upon their knees beside her in an agony of tears. +"Don't cry! he is wounded, to be sure, but he will get well, +though he can never again fight for France. We shall see him +every day, and by and by he will be at home again with us." + +Too stunned for speech, the Twins only kissed the blood-stained +hands, and then their Mother led them away. Under the western +arches she kissed them good-by. "Go now to Madame Coudert," she +said, "and tell her your Father is here, and that I shall stay in +the Cathedral. Ask her to take care of you for the night. In the +morning, if it is quiet, come again to me." + +Dazed, happy, grieved, the children obeyed. They found Madame +Coudert beaming above her empty counter. "Bless you," she cried, +when they gave her their Mother's message, "of course you can +stay! There are no pink cakes for Pierre, but who cares for cakes +now that the French are once more in Rheims! And to think you +have your Father back again! Surely this is a happy day for you, +even though he came back with a wound!" + + + +V. AT MADAME COUDERT'S + +The joy of the people of Rheims was short-lived. The Germans had +been driven out, it is true, but they had gone only a short +distance to the east, and there, upon the banks of the Aisne, had +securely entrenched themselves, venting their rage upon the City +by daily bombardments. From ten until two nearly every day the +inhabitants of the stricken City for the most part sat in their +cellars listening to the whistling of shells and the crash of +falling timbers and tiles. When the noise ceased, they returned +to the light and air once more and looked about to see the extent +of the damage done. Dur ing the rest of the day they went about +their routine as usual, hoping against hope that the French +Armies, which were now between Rheims and the enemy, would be +able not only to defend the City but to drive the Germans still +farther toward the Rhine. + +When the Twins reached the Cathedral the morning after the return +of the French troops, they found their Father resting after an +operation which had removed from his leg a piece of shell, which +had nearly cost his life and would make him permanently lame. +Their Mother met them as they came in. She was pale but smiling. +"What a joy to see you!" she cried, as she pressed them to her +breast. "You may take one look at your Father and throw him a +kiss; then you must go back to Madame Coudert." + +"Mayn't we stay with you and help take care of Father?" begged +Pierre. + +"No," answered his Mother firmly, "the sights here are not for +young eyes. I can wait upon the nurses and keep things clean: My +place is here for the present, but tomorrow, if all goes well, we +will sleep once more in our own little home, if it is still +standing. In the mean time, be good children, and mind Madame +Coudert. Now run along before the shells begin to fall." + +The Twins obediently trotted away, and regained the little shop +just as the clock struck ten. The day seemed long to them, for +their thoughts were with their parents, but Madame Coudert was so +cheerful herself; and kept them so busy they had no time to mope. +Pierrette helped make the little cakes, and Pierre scraped the +remains of the icing from the mixing-bowl and ate it lest any be +wasted. In some ways Pierre was a very thrifty boy. Then, too, +Madame Coudert allowed them to stand behind the counter and help +wait upon the customers. Moreover, there was Fifine, the cat, for +Pierrette to play with, and the little raveled-out dog lived only +two doors below; so they did not lack for entertainment. + +The next evening their Mother called for them, as she had +promised to do, and they once more had supper and slept beneath +their own roof. For three days they followed this routine, going +with their Mother to Madame Coudert's, where they spent the day, +returning at night. On the fourth day they were again allowed to +visit the Cathedral and to see their Father. "It will do him good +to be with his children," the doctor had said, and so, while +Mother Meraut attended to her duties, Pierre and Pierrette sat on +each side of the straw bed where he lay, proud and responsible to +be left in charge of the patient. + +Pierre was bursting with curiosity to know about the Battle of +the Marne. Not another boy of his acquaintance had a wounded +father, and though his opportunities for seeing his friends had +been few, he had already done a good deal of boasting; and was +pointed out by other boys on the street as a person of special +distinction. "Tell me about the battle, Father," he begged. + +His Father lifted his tired eyes to a statue of Jeanne d'Arc, +which was in plain sight from where he lay. "Well, my boy," he +said after a pause, "there is much I should not wish you to know, +but this I will tell you. On the day the battle turned, the +watchword of the Army was Jeanne d'Arc. Our soldiers sprang to +the attack with her name upon their lips, and some have sworn to +me that they saw her ride before us into battle on her white +charger, carrying in her hand the very banner which you see there +upon the altar. I do not know whether or not it is true, but +certainly the victory was with us, and I for my part find it easy +to be lieve that our blessed Saint Jeanne has not forgotten +France." He raised himself a little on his elbow and pointed to a +place not far distant in the nave. "There," he said, "is the very +spot upon which she knelt while her king was being crowned here +in our Cathedral after she had driven our enemies from French +soil and had given him his throne! The happiest moments of her +life were here! What place should be revisited by her pure spirit +if not Rheims? My children, I wish you every day to pray that she +may come again to deliver France!" Exhausted by emotion and by +the effort he had made, he sank back upon the straw and closed +his eyes. + +Pierrette took his hand. "Dear papa, she said, "every day we will +pray to her as you say, and give thanks to the Bon Dieu that your +life has been spared to us. If only your poor leg--" she stopped, +overcome by tears. + +Her Father opened his eyes and smiled. "Ah, little one, what is a +leg more or less;--or a life either for that matter,--when our +France is in danger?" he said. "Is it not so, Pierre?" + +Pierre gulped. "France can have all of my legs!" he cried, in a +burst of patriotism. "And when I'm big enough, I'm going to dig a +hole in the ground and put in millions of tons of dynamite and +blow up the whole of Germany! That's what I'm going to do!" + +His Father's eyes twinkled. "It seems a long while to wait," he +said, "because now you are only nine, you see." + +Just then their Mother came toward the little group. "Magpies!" +she cried, " it seems that you are talking my patient to death. +Run along now to Madame Coudert." At the Cathedral entrance she +kissed them, and then stood for a moment to watch them as they +hurried down the street out of sight. + + + +VI. THE BURNING OF THE CATHEDRAL + +On the evening of the 18th of September, Mother Meraut was late +in leaving the Cathedral, and it was nearly dark when she reached +Madame Coudert's door. Pierrette sat on the steps waiting for +her, with Fifine, the cat, in her arms. Madame Coudert was +knitting, as usual, and Pierre was trying to teach the little +raveled-out dog to stand on his hind legs. As their Mother +appeared, the children sprang to meet her. + +"How is Father?" cried Pierrette. It was always the first +question when they saw her. + +"Better," answered her Mother. " In another week or two the +doctor thinks he can be moved." + +She was about to enter the shop to speak to Madame Coudert, when +the air was suddenly rent by a fearful roar of sound. She clasped +her children in her arms. "It's like thunder," she said, patting +them soothingly; "if you hear the roar you know at once that you +aren't killed. Come, we must hurry to the cellar." But before she +could take a single step in that direction there was another +terrible explosion. + +"Look, oh look!" screamed Pierre, pointing to the Cathedral +towers, which were visible from where they stood; "they are +shelling the Cathedral!" + +For an instant they stood as if rooted to the spot. Was it +possible the Germans would shell the place where their own +wounded lay--a place protected by the cross? They saw the +scaffolding about one of the towers burst suddenly into flames. +In another moment the fire had caught and devoured the Red Cross +flag itself and then sprang like a thing possessed to the roof. +An instant more, and that too was burning. + +"Father!" screamed Pierre, and before any one could stop him or +even say a word, the boy was far up the street, running like a +deer toward the Cathedral. Pierrette was but a few steps behind +him. + +When she saw her children rushing madly into such danger, Mother +Meraut's exhausted body gave way beneath the demands of her +spirit. If Madame Coudert had not caught her, she would have sunk +down upon the step. It was only for an instant, but in that +instant the children had passed out of sight. Not stopping even +to close her door, Madame Coudert seized Mother Meraut's hand, +and together the two women ran after them. But they could not +hope to rival the speed of fleet young feet, and when they +reached the Cathedral square the flames were already roaring +upward into the very sky. The streets were crowded by this time, +and their best speed brought them to the square ten minutes after +the children had reached the burning Cathedral, and, heedless of +danger, had dashed in and to the corner where their helpless +Father lay. + +The place was swarming with doctors and nurses working +frantically to move the wounded. The Abbe' was there, and the +Archbishop also. Already the straw had caught fire in several +places from falling brands. "Out through the north transept," +shouted the Abbe. + +Pierre and Pierrette knew well what they had come to do. For them +there was but one person in the Cathedral, and that person was +their Father. They had but one purpose--to get him out. Young as +they were, they were already well used to danger, and it scarcely +occurred to them that they were risking their lives. Certainly +they were not afraid. When they reached their Father's side, they +found him vainly struggling to rise. + +"Here we are, Father," shouted Pierre: "Lean on us!" He flew to +one side; Pierrette was already struggling to lift him on the +other. As his bed was the one farthest from the spot where the +fire first appeared, the doctors and nurses had sought to rescue +those in greatest danger, and so the children for the time being +were alone in their effort to save him. + +The flames were now leaping through the Cathedral aisles, +devouring the straw beds as if they were tinder. In vain Father +Meraut ordered them to leave him. For once his children refused +to obey. Somehow they got him to his feet, and he, for their +sakes making a superhuman effort, succeeded in staggering between +them, using their lithe young bodies as crutches. How they +reached the door of the north transept they never knew, but reach +it they did, before the burning flames. And there a new terror +appeared. + +The people of Rheims, infuriated by the long abuse which they had +suffered, stood with guns pointed at the wounded and helpless +Germans whom the doctors and nurses had succeeded in getting so +far on the way to safety. Above the roar of flames rose the roar +of angry voices. "It is the Germans who burn our Cathedral. Let +them die with it," shouted one. + +Between the helpless Germans and the angry mob; facing their +guns, towered the figures of the Abby and the Archbishop! "If you +kill them, you must first kill us," cried the Archbishop. Kill +the Archbishop and the Abbe'! Unthinkable! The guns were +immediately lowered, and the work of rescue went on. + +Out of the north door crept Father Meraut, supported by his brave +children. "Bravo! Bravo!" shouted the crowd, and then hands that +would have killed Germans willingly, were stretched in instant +sympathy and helpfulness to the wounded French soldier and his +brave children. Two men made a chair of their arms, and Father +Meraut was carried in safety to the square before the Cathedral, +Pierre and Pierrette following close behind. At the foot of the +statue of Jeanne d'Arc they stopped to rest and change hands, and +there, frantic with joy, Mother Meraut found them. + +"A soldier of France--wounded at the Marne!" shouted the crowd, +and if he had been able to endure it, they would have borne him +upon their grateful shoulders. As it was, he was carried in no +less grateful arms clear to Madame Coudert's door, and there, +lying upon an improvised stretcher, and attended by his wife and +children, he rested from his journey, while Madame Coudert ran to +prepare a cup of coffee for a stimulant. From Madame Coudert's +door they watched the further destruction of the beautiful +Cathedral which Mother Meraut had so often called the "safest +place in Rheims." As it burned, a wonderful thing happened. High +above the glowing roof there suddenly flamed the blue fleur-de- +lis of France! + +"See! See! " cried Mother Meraut. "A Miracle! The Lily of France! +Oh, surely it is a sign sent by the Bon Dieu to keep us from +despair!" + +"It is only the gas from an exploding shell, bursting in blue +flame," said her husband. "Yet--who knows?--it may also be a true +promise that France shall rise in beauty from its ruins." + + + +VII. HOME AGAIN + +The next day, they were able to move Father Meraut to his own +home. In spite of the excitement and strain, he seemed but little +the worse for his experience, and the happiness of being again +with his family quite offset the effect of his dangerous journey. +Mother Meraut was a famous nurse, and when he was safely +installed in a bed in a corner of the room which was their living- +room and kitchen in one, she was able to give him her best care. +There he lay, following her with his eyes as she made good things +for him to eat or carried on the regular activities of her home. +Pierre and Pierrette sat beside his bed and talked to him, or, +better still, got him to tell them stories of the things that had +happened during his brief stay in the Army. Pierre brought the +little raveled-out dog, with which he was now on the friendliest +terms, to see him, and Madame Coudert also came to call now and +then, bringing a cake or some other dainty to the invalid. + +If only the Germans had gone from their trenches on the Aisne, +they and every one else in Rheims would have been quite +comfortable, but alas! this was not to be. The Germans stayed +where they were, and each day sent a new rain of shells upon the +unfortunate City. The inhabitants grew accustomed to it, as one +grows used to thundershowers in April. "Hello! it's beginning to +sprinkle," they would say when a shell burst, spattering mud and +dirt upon the passers-by. Signs appeared upon the street, "Safe +Cellars Here," and when the bombardment began, people would dash +for the nearest shelter and wait until the storm was over. + +Pierre and Pierrette played out of doors every day, though they +did not go far from their home, and had no one but each other to +play with. Pierrette made a play-house in one corner of the +court. Here in a little box she kept a store of broken dishes, +and here she sat long hours with her doll Jacqueline. Sometimes +Pierre, having no better occupation, played with her. He even +took a gingerly interest in Jacqueline, although he would not for +the world have let any of the boys know of such a weakness. + +When the shells began to fall, they would leave their corner and +run quickly to the cellar. As Father Meraut could not go up or +down, his wife stayed in the kitchen beside him. In this way +several weary weeks went by. Mother Meraut went no more to the +Cathedral. There was nothing there that she could do. The great, +beautiful church which had been the very soul of Rheims and the +pride of France was now nothing but a ruined shell, its wonderful +windows broken, its roof gone, its very walls of stone so burned +that they crumbled to pieces at a touch. Even the great bronze +bells had been melted in the flames and had fallen in molten +drops, like tears of grief, into the wreckage below. All the +beautiful treasures--the tapestries, wrought by the hands of +queens, and even the sacred banner of Jeanne d'Arc itself--had +been destroyed. + +Mother Meraut knew, but she did not tell her children, that +precious lives had also been lost, and that buried somewhere in +the ruins were the bodies of doctors and nurses who had given +their own in trying to save the lives of others, and of brave +citizens of Rheims who had fallen in an attempt to save the +precious relics carefully treasured there. Neither did she tell +them that little Jean, the Verger's son, was one of that heroic +band. These sorrows she bore in her own breast, but she never +passed near the Cathedral after that terrible night. Sometimes, +when a necessary errand took her to that part of the City, she +would pause at a distance to look long at the statue of Jeanne +d'Arc, standing unharmed in the midst of the destruction about +her still lifting her sword to the sky. In all the rain of shells +which had fallen upon the City not one had yet touched the +statue. Only the tip of the sword had been broken off. It +comforted Mother Meraut to see it standing so strangely safe in +the midst of such desolation. "It stands," she thought, " even as +her pure spirit stood safe amidst the flames of her martyrdom. +But I cannot, like her, pray for my enemies while I burn in the +fires they have kindled." + +There was yet another burden which she carried safely hidden in +her heart. She had not heard from her father and mother since the +Battle of the Marne. That the Germans had passed through the +village where they lived she knew, but what destruction they had +wrought she could only guess. It was impossible for her at that +time to go to them; so she waited in silence, hoping that some +time good news might come. The slow weeks lengthened into months, +and at last Father Meraut was strong enough to get about on a +crutch like Father Varennes. It was a great day when first he was +able to hobble down the steps and out upon the street, leaning on +Mother Meraut's arm on one side, and his crutch upon the other, +with Pierre and Pierrette marching before him like a guard of +honor. + +It was now cold weather; winter had set in, and life became more +difficult as food grew scarce and there was not enough fuel to +heat the houses. School should have begun in October, but school- +buildings had not been spared in the bombardment, and it was +dangerous to permit children to stay in them. At last, however, a +new way was found to cheat the enemy of its prey. Schools were +opened in the great champagne cellars of Rheims, and Pierre and +Pierrette were among the first scholars enrolled. Every day after +that they hastened through the streets before the usual hour of +the bombardment, went down into one of the great tunnels cut in +chalk, and there, in rooms deep underground, carried on their +studies. It was a strange school, but it was safer than their +home, even though there was danger in going back and forth in the +streets. By spring the children of Rheims had lived so much in +cellars that they were as pale as potato-sprouts. + +Mother Meraut watched her two with deepening anxiety. Then, one +day in the spring, a corner of their own roof was blown off by a +shell. No one was hurt, but when a few moments later a second +explosion blew a cat through the hole and dropped it into the +soup, Mother Meraut's endurance gave way. + +It was the last straw! She put the cat out, yowling but unharmed, +and silently cleared away the debris. Then, when the bombardment +was over, she put on her bonnet and went out. She came back an +hour later, to find the Twins sitting, one on each side of their +Father, holding his hands, and all three the picture of despair. +Mother Meraut stood before them, her eyes flashing, her cheeks +burning a deep red, and this is what she said: "I will not live +like this another day. Life in Rheims is no longer possible. I +will not stay here to be killed by inches. I have made +arrangements to get a little row-boat, and to-morrow morning we +will take such things as we can carry and leave this place. +Whatever may happen to us elsewhere, it cannot be worse than what +is happening here, and it may possibly be better." + +Her husband and children looked at her in amazement. She did not +ask their opin- ion about the matter, but promptly began the +necessary preparations and told them what to do. Clothing was +brought to Father Meraut to be packed in compact bundles and tied +up with string. Then blankets were made into another bundle; a +third held a frying-pan, a coffee-pot, and a kettle, with a few +knives, forks, and spoons, while a fourth contained food. The +Twins were sent to say good-by to Madame Coudert, and to give her +a key to the door, and then all the rest of their household goods +were packed away as carefully as time permitted, in the cellar. + +Mother Meraut put the Twins to bed early, but she herself +remained at work most of the night; yet when morning came and the +children woke, she was up and neatly dressed, and had their +breakfast ready. She did not linger over their sad departure, nor +did she shed a tear as they left the little house which had been +their happy home. Instead, she locked the door after them with a +snap, put the key in her pocket, and walked down the steps with +the grim determination of a soldier going into battle, carrying a +big bundle under each arm. + + + +VIII. REFUGEES + +The Twins and their Father followed the resolute figure of Mother +Meraut down the street, not. knowing at all where she was leading +them, but with implicit confidence that she knew what she was +about. She was carrying the heaviest bundles, and the Twins +carried the rest between them, packed in a clothes-basket. On her +other arm Pierrette bore her dearly loved Jacqueline. Father +Meraut could carry nothing but such small articles as could be +put in his pockets, but it was joy enough that he could carry +himself, and it was quite wonderful to see how speedily he got +over the ground with his crutch. + +Not far from their house in the Rue Charly ran the River Vesle, +which flows through Rheims, and as the Merauts knew well a man +whose business it was to let boats to pleasure parties in summer, +the children were not surprised to see their Mother walk down the +street toward the little wharf where his boats were kept. He was +waiting to receive them, and, drawn up to the water's edge was a +red and white row-boat, with the name "The Ark" painted upon her +prow. Mother Meraut smiled when she saw the name. "If we only had +the animals to go in two by two, we should be just like Noah and +his family, shouldn't we?" she said, as she put the bundles in +the stern. + +In a few moments they were all seated in the boat, with their few +belongings carefully balanced, and Jacqueline safely reposing in +Pierrette's lap. The boatman pushed them away from the pier. "Au +revoir," called Mother Meraut as the boat slid into the stream. +"We will come back again when the Germans are gone, and in some +way I shall have a chance to send your boat to you, I know. +Meanwhile we will take good care of it." + +"There will be few pleasure-seekers on the Vesle this summer," +answered the boat-man, "and the Ark will be safer with you than +rotting at the pier, let alone the chance of its being blown up +by a shell. I'm glad you've got her, and glad you are going away +from Rheims. It will be easy pulling, for you're going down- +stream, and about all you'll have to do is to keep her headed +right. Au revoir, and good luck." He stood on the pier looking +after them and waving his hat until they were well out in the +middle of the stream. + +Father Meraut had the oars, and, as his arms had not been +injured, he was able to guide the boat without fatigue, and soon +the current had carried them through the City and out into the +open country which lay beyond. Mother Meraut sat in the prow, +looking back toward the Cathedral she had so loved, until the +blackened towers were hidden from view by trees along the +riverbank. They had started early in order to be well out of +Rheims before the daily bombardment should begin. + +Spring was already in the air, and as they drifted along they +heard the skylarks singing in the fields. The trees were turning +green, and there were blossoms on the apple trees. The wild +flowers along the riverbank were already humming with bees, and +the whole scene seemed so peaceful and quiet after all they had +endured in Rheims, that even the shell-holes left in the fields +which had been fought over in the autumn and the crosses marking +the graves of fallen soldiers did not sadden them. + +Mother Meraut sat for a long time silent, then heaved a deep sigh +of relief. "I feel like Lot's wife looking back upon Sodom and +Gomorrah," she said. Suddenly her eyes filled with tears and she +kissed her finger-tips and blew the kiss toward Rheims. +"Farewell, my beautiful City!" she cried. "It is not for your +sins we must leave you! And some happy day we shall return." + +There was a report, and a puff of smoke far away over the City, +then the sound of a distant explosion. The daily bombardment had +begun! + +"Your friends are firing a farewell salute," said Father Meraut. + +All the morning they slipped quietly along between greening +banks, carried by the current farther and farther down-stream. At +noon they drew the boat ashore beneath some willow trees, where +they ate their lunch, and then spent an hour in such rest as they +had not had for many weary months. + +It was then, and not until then, that Father Meraut ventured to +.ask his wife her plans. "My dear," he said, as he stretched +himself out in a sunny spot and put his head in Pierrette's lap, +"I have great confidence in you, and will follow you willingly +anywhere, but I should really like to know where we are going." + +Mother Meraut looked at him in surprise. "Why, haven't I told +you? " she said "My mind has been so full of it I can't believe +you didn't know that we are going to my father's, if we can get +there! You know their village is on a little stream which flows +into the Aisne some distance beyond its junction with the Vesle. +We could drift down to the place where the two rivers join, and +go on from there to the little stream which flows past +Fontanelle. Then we could row up-stream to the village." + +"It's as plain as day, now you tell it," answered her husband, +"and a very good plan, too." + +"You see," said Mother Meraut, as she packed away the remains of +the lunch, "I haven't heard a word from them all winter. I don't +know whether they are dead or alive. I haven't said anything +about it, because you were so ill and there were so many other +worries, but this plan has been in my mind all the time. What we +shall do when we get to Fontanelle I do not know, but we shall be +no worse off than other refugees, and at any rate we shall not be +under shell-fire every day." + +"If we can't find any place to stay there, why can't we go on and +on down the river, until we get clear to the sea," said Pierre +with enthusiasm. + +"It's just like being gypsies, isn't it?" added Pierrette. + +"So far as I can see," said Mother Meraut, "we've got to go on +and on! Certainly we can't go back." + +"No, we can't go back," echoed her husband, with a sigh. + +All the pleasant afternoon they drifted peacefully along, and +nightfall found them in open country. It began to grow colder as +darkness came on. "We shall need all our blankets if we are to +sleep in the fields," said Mother Meraut at last. "It's time for +supper and bed, anyway. Let's go ashore." + +"We'll build a fire on the bank and cook our supper there," said +her husband. + +"What is there, Mother, that we can cook?" + +"There are eggs to fry, and potatoes to roast in the ashes," she +answered, " and coffee besides." + +"I am as hungry as a wolf," said Pierrette. + +"I'm as hungry as two wolves," said Pierre. + +They found a landing-place, and the Ark was drawn ashore. Pierre +and Pierrette ran at once to gather sticks and leaves. These they +brought to their Father, and soon a cheerful fire flamed red +against the shadows. Then the smell of coffee floated out upon +the evening air, and the sputter of frying eggs gave further +promise to their hungry stomachs. + +Before they had finished their supper the stars were winking down +at them, and over the brow of a distant hill rose a slender +crescent moon. Pierrette saw it first. "Oh," she cried, "the new +moon! And I saw it over my right shoulder, too! We are sure to +have wonderful luck this month." + +Pierre shut his eyes. "Which way is it?" he cried. Pierrette +turned him carefully about so that he too might see it over his +right shoulder, and then, this ceremony completed, they washed +the dishes and helped pack the things carefully away in the +clothes-basket once more. + +They slept that night under the edge of a straw-stack in the +meadow near the river, and though they were homeless wanderers +without a roof to cover them, they slept well, and awakened next +morning to the music of bird-songs instead of to the sound of +guns and the whistling of shells. + + + +IX. THE FOREIGN LEGION + +Fortunately for our pilgrims the weather remained clear and +unusually warm for the season of year, and they were able to +continue their journey the following day in comfort. That night +they slept in a cowshed, where no cows had been since the Germans +passed through so many months before, and on the morning of the +third day they reached the large market town which marked the +junction of the little river upon which the village of Fontanelle +was situated with the Aisne. + +Mother Meraut was now upon familiar territory, among the scenes +of her childhood. She had often come here with her father when he +had brought a load of produce to sell in the town market. Here +they disembarked, bought a load of provisions, and once more +resumed their journey. Progress from this point on was slower +than that of previous days, for now the current was against them. +Father and Mother Meraut took turns at the oars, and they had +gone some four or five miles up the stream when they came in +sight of something quite unfamiliar to Mother Meraut. Stretching +across the level meadows beside the river, as far, as the eye +could see, were rows and rows of tents. Companies of soldiers in +French uniforms were drilling in an open field. Groups of cavalry +horses were herded in an enclosure, and everywhere there were the +activities of a great military encampment. + +"It's a French training-camp," cried Father Meraut, and he waved +his cap on the end of an oar and shouted "Vive la France" at the +top of his lungs. Pierre and Pierrette waved and shouted too, and +Mother Meraut, caught by the general excitement, snatched up +Jacqueline, who had been reposing in the basket, and frantically +waved her. Some soldiers answered their signal, and shouted to +them. + +Father Meraut looked puzzled. "That's not French," he said; "I +can't understand what they say. But they have on French uniforms! +I wonder what regiment it can be. I'm going to find out." + +"We're not far from Fontanelle now," said Mother Meraut; "don't +you think we'd better go on?" + +"We can't get there without stopping somewhere to eat, anyway," +said Father Meraut. "It's already eleven o'clock, and I'd rather +find out about the soldiers than eat." So they tied the Ark to a +willow tree and went ashore. + +In a moment more they were in a city of soldiers, and Father +Meraut was making friends with some of the men who were lounging +near the cook-house, sniffing the savory smell of soup which +issued from it in appetizing gusts. Pierre and Pierrette sniffed +too, and even Mother Meraut could not help saying appreciatively, +"That cook knows how to make soup." Pierre laid his hand upon his +stomach and smacked his lips. "Pierre," said his mother, +reprovingly, "where are your manners, child?" + +At that moment two soldiers were passing--one a tall, thin man, +and one much smaller. They paused and laughed, and the tall man +laid his hand on his stomach, too, and smacked his lips. + +"Are you hungry, kid?" he said genially to Pierre. Pierre looked +blank. + +The short man punched the tall man in the ribs. "Don't you see +he's French," he said derisively. "Did you think you were back +home in Illinois? Why don't you try some of your parley-voo on +him? You're not getting on with the language; here's your chance +for a real Parisian accent." + +"Oh, g'wan," answered the tall man. "Try your own French on him! +I guess it won't kill him; he looks strong." + +The short man came nearer to Pierre and shouted at him as if he +were deaf. "Avvy-voo-doo faim?" + +Pierre withdrew a step nearer his mother and Pierrette. "Je ne +comprends pas!" he said politely. "Pardon." + +The tall man took off his cap and rumpled his hair. "Try it +again, Jim," he said, "even if he is scared. They look to me like +refugees, and as if a good bowl of soup wouldn't strike their +insides amiss, but your French would stampede a herd of +buffaloes!" + +"Try it yourself, then," said the short man, grinning. + +The tall man sat down on a box at the door of the tent and +beckoned to Pierre. "I say, kid," he began, "avvy-voo-doo-fam-- +fam?" He rubbed his stomach in expressive pantomime. + +"Mamma," cried poor puzzled Pierre, "he asks me if I have a wife, +and rubs his stomach as if he had a stomach-ache. What does he +mean?" + +Mother Meraut came forward, trying hard not to laugh. "Que voulez- +vous, Messieurs?" she said politely. + +The tall man was on his feet instantly with his cap in his hand. +"You see, ma'am," he began, "we're from the States-des Etats- +Unis! We've come here to fight le Boche--savez-vows? --combattre +le Boche!" He waved his arms frantically and made a motion as if +shooting with a gun. + +A smile broke over Mother Meraut's face, and she held out both +hands. "Les Americains!"she cried joyfully, "des Etats-Unis, dans +l'uniforme de la France! Mais maintenant nous exterminons le +Boche!" She called Pierrette and Pierre to her side. "These are +Americans," she explained in French, "come from the United States +of America to fight with us. Shake hands with them." + +The Twins obeyed shyly, and when their Father rejoined the family +a few moments later, their friendship had progressed to such an +extent that Pierre was seated on one side of the tall man and +Pierrette on the other, and they were all three studying a French +phrase-book. The short man, called Jim, was gesticulating wildly, +and talking to Mother Meraut, and she, good soul, looked so wise, +and said "Oui" and "Non," and nodded her head so intelligently to +encourage him, that he never suspected that she did not +understand one word in ten, and cast triumphant glances at the +tall man to see if he was observing his success. + +At this moment a French Captain came by. The men sprang to their +feet, clicked their heels together, and saluted. Father Meraut +stiffened into military position and saluted also. The officer +returned the salute, then stopped and spoke to him. "You are a +soldier of France, I see," he said. "Where did you get your +wound?" + +"With Joffre, at the Marne, mon Capitaine," answered Father +Meraut, proudly. And then he told the Captain of his being +brought wounded to the Cathedral in Rheims, of its bombardment +and burning, and of his rescue by Pierre and Pierrette. + +The Captain turned to the Americans and said to them in English: +"We have here three heroes of France instead of one! These +children have lived under constant fire since last September, and +they rescued their wounded father from the burning Cathedral of +Rheims at the risk of their own lives." The Americans saluted +Father Meraut, then they saluted Pierre and Pierrette, while +Mother Meraut stood by, beaming with pride. + +"We will ask them to dine with us as our guests," said the +Captain, and, turning to Father Meraut, he spoke again in French. +"This is the Foreign Legion," he said. "It is made up of friends +of France, brave men of different countries who came voluntarily +to fight with us against the Boche. Here they receive special +training under French officers before going to the front. These +Americans have only just come. They do not know much French, but +they wish you to dine with them." + +Ah, what a day that was for Pierre and Pierrette! Their story was +passed about from one to another, and, instead of being homeless, +wandering refugees, they found themselves suddenly treated as +distinguished guests, by real soldiers. Pierre swelled with +pride, and if he had only been able to speak their language, how +glad he would have been to tell the Americans about the return of +the French to Rheims, the green poster, Madame Coudert, and many +other things! Alas, he could only eat his soup and gaze about him +at all the activities that were going on in camp. When at last it +was time for them to go, it was with the greatest difficulty that +Pierre could be torn away from his new-found friends. + +"Come again, old pal," said the tall man, slapping Pierre +cordially on the back as he said good-by. "Come again and see +your Uncle Sam! Come and bring your family!" + +Pierre grinned, although he did not understand a word, shook +hands, and ran down the river-bank to join his parents and +Pierrette, who were already climbing into the boat. + +"Jim" and "Uncle Sam" looked after them as the Ark swung out into +the stream. "Au revoir," shouted Pierre, waving his hand. "Vive +la France!" And back came the reply like an echo, "You bet your +life, vive la France!" + + + +X. FONTANELLE + +The shadows were beginning to lengthen across the valley as the +Ark rounded a bend in the stream and the little church spire of +Fontanelle came into view. "There it is--at last!" cried Mother +Meraut. "Thank God, something of the village still stands!" She +gazed eagerly into the distance. "And there is the Chateau," she +added joyfully, pointing to a large gray stone building half +hidden by a fringe of trees. "Oh, surely things are not going to +be so bad as I had feared. Hurry! hurry! It seems as though my +heart must take wings and fly before my body, now that we are so +near!" + +Father Meraut bent to the oars. "I will stay with the boat while +you and the children go to the village," he said, when, a few +moments later, he found a favorable spot to land. + +Mother Meraut was out of the boat almost before it was beached, +the Twins sprang out after her, and the three started up the road +to the village on a run. Groves of trees just bursting into leaf +lay between them and the one street of the little town, and it +was not until they had passed it that they could tell how much +damage had been done. The sight that met their eyes as they +entered the village was not reassuring, but, hoping against hope, +they ran on to the little house which had been Mother Meraut's +childhood home. At the threshold they paused, and the tears which +Mother Meraut had resolutely refused to shed when she had said +good-by to her own home in Rheims fell freely as she gazed upon +the ruins of the home of her parents. The house was empty, the +windows were gone, the door was wrenched from its hinges, and the +roof was open to the sky. The whole village was in much the same +condition. Every house was empty, the street deserted. + +Neither Mother Meraut nor the Twins said a word. With heavy +hearts they turned from the gaping doorway and started toward the +Chateau, which lay half a mile beyond the village. Not a soul did +they meet until they arrived at the great gate which marked the +entrance to the park, and then they saw that the Chateau too had +suffered. It had been partly burned out, but as its walls were +standing and one wing looked habitable, their spirits rose a +little. At the gate a child was playing. They stopped. "Can you +tell me, ma petite," said Mother Meraut, her voice trembling, +"whether there is any one here by the name of Jamart?" + +"Mais--oui," answered the child, surveying the strangers with +curiosity. "Voila!" She pointed a stubby finger toward the +Chateau, and there, just disappearing behind a corner of the +wall, was the bent figure of an old woman carrying a pail of +water. + +With a cry of joy, Mother Meraut sprang forward, and Pierre and +Pierrette for once in their lives, run as they would, could not +keep up with her. She fairly flew over the ground, and when the +Twins at last reached her side, the pail of water was spilled on +the ground, and the two women were weeping in each other's arms. +An old man now came toward them and the children flung themselves +upon him. "Grandpere! Grandpere!" they shouted, and then such +another embracing as there was! + +Grand'mere kissed the Twins, and Grandpere hugged Mother Meraut, +and then, because the tears were still running down their cheeks, +Grandpere pointed to the overturned pail, and the water flowing +in little wiggling streams through the dust. "Come, dear hearts," +he cried, "are these your tears? Weep no more, then, lest we have +a flood after our fire! This is a time to rejoice! Wipe your +eyes, my Antoinette, and tell us how you came here. It is as if +the sky had opened to let down three angels--and where, then, is +Jacques?" + +By this time a group of people had gathered about them--the +little remnant of the old prosperous village of Fontanelle. "Here +we are, you see," said Grandpere, "all that are left of us. Every +able-bodied young woman was driven away by the Germans to work in +their fields--while ours lie idle. Every able-bodied man is in +the army. There are only twenty-seven of us left--old women, +children, and myself. There you have our history." + +Mother Meraut shook each old friend by the hand, looked at all +the babies and children, and proudly showed her Twins to them in +return, before she said a word about the sorrows they had endured +in Rheims, and the desperation which had at last driven them from +their home. The people listened without comment. They had all +suffered so much that there was no room left in their hearts for +new grief, but when she told them of the boat and her lame +husband they rejoiced with her that she had the happiness at +least of a united family. There was plenty of room in their +hearts for joy! "Come with us," they said. "We cannot be poorer. +Our cattle are driven away; we have no strong laborers to till +our fields, no seeds to plant in them. We live in one wing and +the outhouses of the Chateau, but hope is not yet dead, and your +hands are strong. Your husband, too, can help, and we shall be at +least no worse off for your being here." + +Grand'mere spoke. "We live in the cow-stalls of the stable," said +she. "It is not so bad; there is still hay in the loft, and there +are other stalls not occupied." + +Mother Meraut crossed herself. "If the Blessed Mother of Our Lord +could live in a stable," she said, "such shelter is surely good +enough for us." + +Father Meraut, sitting patiently in the boat, was surprise, a +little later as he looked anxiously toward the village, to see a +crowd of people coming toward him, waving caps and hands in +salutation. Before the others ran Pierre and Pierrette, and when +they reached him they poured forth a jumble of excited words, +from which he was able to gather that Grandpere and Grand'mere +were alive and well, and that there was a place for them to stay. +He got out of the boat to greet the people, and their willing +hands took the bundles and helped hide the Ark in the bushes, and +the whole company then started back to the Chateau, Grandpere +lingering behind the others to keep pace with the slow progress +of Father Meraut. + +When Grand'mere, the Twins, and their Mother reached the stable +they took their bundles from the hands of their friends, and went +in to inspect their new home. The stable had been swept and +scrubbed until it was as clean as it could be made. The large box +stall served as a bedroom for Grand'mere and Grandpere. Above +their bed of hay, covered with old blankets and quilts, was hung +a wooden crucifix. This, with two boxes for seats, was all the +furniture it contained. A few articles of clothing hung about on +nails, and in the open space before the stalls a stove was +placed, the pipe running through a pane of glass in a window near +by. + +When Grandpere and Father Meraut arrived, Mother Meraut met them +at the door. "Behold our new apartment!" she said, and she led +her husband to one of the clean stalls, where she had already +begun to set up housekeeping. The Twins were at that moment in +the loft overhead, getting hay for their beds, and Jacqueline, +exhausted by her journey, had been put to bed in the manger. + +Father Meraut looked about. "This is not bad for the summer," he +said, "and who knows what good luck may come to us by fall? +Perhaps the Germans will be driven out of France by that time, +and surely we shall be able to do some planting even now." + +"We have dug up the ground for gardens as best we could with the +few tools we have," said Grandpere. "The government would send us +seeds, but the roads are very bad, and we have no horses, and +supplies are hard to get even though we have money to pay for +them. The nearest town where provisions can be obtained lies six +miles below, at the mouth of the river, and it is very little one +can carry on one's back." + +"Is there no way to get help from the soldiers' camp?" asked +Father Meraut. "They must get supplies." + +"Yes, but they cannot of themselves at this time take care of the +civilian population," said Grandpere. "There are many villages in +the same condition, and the soldiers' business is to fight for +France." + +"True," said Father Meraut. Then he exclaimed: "I have it! The +Ark! It will indeed be our salvation as it was Father Noah's." + +Grandpere looked anxiously at Mother Meraut and touched his +forehead. "He is not mad?" he asked. + +She laughed. "The name of our boat is the Ark," she explained. +"We can use it to go down the river to buy provisions if there +are any to be had." + +Grand'mere, who had been listening, looked cautiously about, then +felt under the straw of her bed and brought out a stocking. +"See!" she said. "I have money. The others have money too, but of +what use is money when there is nothing to buy and no place to +buy it?" + +"We must find a place to buy things," said Mother Meraut with +decision. "Grandpere and Jacques can take the Ark and go down the +river on a voyage of discovery, and bring back the supplies that +we most need." + +After supper the whole village gathered about the stable door to +hear all the news which the Meraut family had brought from the +outside world. For months they had not seen a newspaper, and +there had been no visitors in Fontanelle. And when Father Meraut +had finished telling them all the story of Rheims, of the burning +of the Cathedral, of the miraculous safety of the statue of Saint +Jeanne, of his own escape, and the final destruction of the roof +over their heads, and their flight from the city, the pressing +needs of the little village and his and Grandpere's proposed +voyage were discussed, and it was very late when at last the +people separated and the little village settled down for the +night. + + + +XI. A SURPRISE + +The next morning the whole village was up early, and plans were +perfected for the voyage of Father Meraut and Grandpere. A long +list of necessary articles was made out, and the money for their +purchase safely hidden away in their inside pockets. They were +just about to start down the road to the river, when suddenly a +wonderful thing happened. Right through the great gate of the +Chateau rumbled a large motor truck with an American flag +fluttering from the radiator! It was driven by a strange young +woman in a smart gray uniform. Beside her on the driver's seat +sat an older woman dressed the same way and carrying in her hand +a black medicine-case. + +The girl stopped her engine, climbed down to the ground, and +approached the astonished people of Fontanelle: "Bon jour," she +said, smiling. Then in excellent French she explained her errand. +"We are Americans," she said, and at that name every face smiled +back at her. "We have come to help you restore your homes. +America loves and admires the French people, and since we women +cannot fight with you, we wish at least to help in the +reconstruction of your beautiful France. Your government has +given us permission to start our work here, and has promised help +from the soldiers whose camp is near. The money we bring from +America will purchase materials, and with your labor and the help +of the soldiers we shall soon see what can be done." + +For a moment after she had ceased speaking there was silence. The +people of Fontanelle were too astonished for words. So much good +fortune after all their sorrow left them stunned. It was Pierre +who first found his voice. He took off his cap, swung it in the +air and shouted, "Vive l'Amerique," at the top of his lungs, and +"Vive l'Amerique," chorused the whole village, relieved to be +able to vent their feelings in sound. + +Mademoiselle laughed. "Vive la France," she answered, and then, +turning to the truck, she cried, "Come and see what we have in +our little shop on wheels. But first let me introduce to you Dr. +Miller. She is an American doctor who has come to take care of +any who may be sick." + +The Doctor had already climbed down from her high seat and was +opening the back of the truck. She smiled and shook hands with +the people. "Is there not something here you wish to buy?" she +asked. "The prices are plainly marked." + +Everybody now crowded about the truck, and in it,--oh, wonderful,- +-piled on the floor and hanging from the top and sides, were the +very things for which they had been longing so eagerly! There +were hoes, and shovels, and rakes, and garden seeds of all kinds. +There were bolts of cloth and woolen garments and wooden shoes, +and yarn for knitting. There were even knitting-needles! And, +best of all, there was food, food such as they had not seen in +many weary months. Ah, it was indeed marvelous what that truck +contained! + +The buying began at once, and never before had any one been able +to purchase so much for a franc! Soon there was nothing left in +the truck but some bedding and other articles belonging to the +Doctor and Mademoiselle, as the people at once began to call her. + +"Will you not come with me to my apartment in the stable?" said +Mother Meraut cordially to the two women. "You must be tired from +your journey." + +"We must first see the Commandant at the camp," said the Doctor, +"and then we shall be happy if you will find some lunch for us. +It is necessary to see at once if our houses have come." + +"Your houses!" cried Pierre, so surprised that he quite forgot +his manners. "But, Madame, it is not possible that you carry your +houses with you like the snails?" + +The Doctor laughed. "Not just like the snails," she said; "our +houses have been sent on ahead of us in sections, with the army +supplies, and are no doubt here in the care of the Commandant." + +"Go, my Pierre, conduct them to the camp," said his Mother, "and +when you come back," she added, turning to the two women, "I will +have ready for you the best that my poor house affords." The +Doctor and Mademoiselle thanked Mother Meraut, and then, +following Pierre, started down the river road toward the camp a +mile or more away. + +The next few days seemed to Pierre and Pierrette, and indeed to +all the inhabitants of Fontanelle, little less than a series of +miracles. In the first place, the Doctor and Mademoiselle had +scarcely finished the good lunch which Mother Meraut had waiting +for them on their return from camp, when a great truck, loaded +with sections of the portable houses, entered the great gate of +the Chateau. It was followed by a detachment of soldiers from the +Foreign Legion, sent by the Commandant to erect them. The +soldiers were also Americans, and Pierre and Pierrctte were +delighted to find that both "Jim" and "Uncle Sam" were among +them. Indeed Uncle Sam was in command of the squad, and when he +presented himself and his men to the Doctor and Mademoiselle, he +explained that the Commandant had detailed Americans to this +duty, as he thought that they would more easily understand what +the ladies wished to have done. + +The whole place now swarmed with people working as busily as bees in a hive. By +night one house was fit to be occupied. The following night two +more had been erected, and the soldiers had laid tent floors in +all of them. The day after that six more young women in gray +came, bringing more supplies. Under the generalship of the +Doctor, Mother Meraut was installed in the carriage-house which +opened from the stable, and here she prepared meals for her +family and for all the new-comers as well. The Doctor established +a dispensary in one room of the Chateau, and Mademoiselle opened +a store in the basement, keeping there for sale a large quantity +of the supplies which had been brought by the six young women. +Father Meraut and Grandpere worked hard on the gardens, assisted +by Pierre and Pierrette and any other person in the village who +was capable of wielding a hoe. Soon people began to come in from +the neighboring hamlets, bringing their sick babies to the Doctor +for treatment. The great truck was loaded with supplies received +through the Army Service and the Red Cross, and the young women +took turns in driving the "Shop on Wheels" into other, less +favored districts, to start there work similar to that begun at +Fontanelle. + +Uncle Sam and Jim came so often to the village that they were +soon on friendly terms with every one in it. They acted as +emissaries between the camp and the village, and if anything was +needed which was beyond the power of these determined women to +supply, Uncle Sam and Jim seemed always by some miracle to +accomplish it. One day the Doctor said to Jim "I wish there were +some way of getting a good cow here. These little children cannot +get rosy and strong without fresh milk, and they haven't had any +since the Germans drove away their cows." + +A week later Jim appeared at the Chateau gate leading a cow! +There was a card tied to one horn. The Doctor removed it and +read, "To Dr. Miller for the little children of Fontanelle." + +"It's from the Commandant," said Jim, beaming with pride. + +The cow proved such a success, and the babies and young children +showed at once such improvement, that the Doctor determined that +they should have not only milk but fresh eggs, and Mademoiselle +was sent to Paris to make investigations, and, if possible, place +an order for more cows and some hens. Upon her return she +announced that a load of live-stock from southern France would +soon arrive at the nearest railroad station, five miles away. + +"It's going to be a regular menagerie," said Mademoiselle, when +she told Mother Meraut about it. "There will be two more cows, +two pigs, a pair of goats, ten pairs of rabbits, and sixty +fowls." + +"Mercy upon us!" cried Mother Meraut. "Where in the world can we +put them all? Must we move out of our apartment to admit the +cows?" + +"No," laughed Mademoiselle, "we must find another way to take +care of them. The cows can stay out of doors now, and there is +grass to feed them and the goats. They can all be tethered by +ropes, if necessary, but we must find a secure place to keep the +pigs and the rabbits, and the chicken-house must be mended and +put in order for the fowls." + +"But Madame Corbeille now resides in the chicken-house. What will +become of her and her children?" cried Mother Meraut. + +"Easy enough," said Mademoiselle; "there is still room in your +stable, is there not? For example, there is the granary! It will +do excellently for the Corbeilles. Pierre and Pierrette will help +build the rabbit-hutch, I know, and there we are, all provided +for!" + +So it was arranged, and that afternoon another family came to +live under the same roof with the Merauts. Grandpere, with his +new hammer and some nails, mended the chicken-house, and then +helped Pierre and Pierrette build enclosures for the rabbits and +pigs out of stones and rubble from the fallen walls. + +At last the day came when all the creatures were to arrive, and +Mademoiselle arranged that the Twins, Mother Meraut, and four of +her own party of young women should go to the railroad station to +get them. The great truck was brought out, ropes were then thrown +in, and all the people who composed what Mademoiselle called the +"Reception Committee" climbed in and sat on the floor, while +Mademoiselle and the Doctor occupied the driver's seat. The +soldiers had done some work on the roads, so they were not as bad +as they had been earlier in the spring; but they were still bad +enough, and the people in the truck were bounced about like +kernels of corn in a popper. + +"Now," said Mademoiselle, when they arrived at the station, "the +fowls and the rabbits will have to go back in the truck. That +will be easy, for they came in crates; but the cows, the goats, +and the pigs must be either led or driven." + +"It sounds simple enough," said the Doctor, "but have any of you +ever known any cows or pigs? Do you know how to manage them?" + + +"I have an acquaintance with cows," said Mother Meraut, "but to +goats and pigs I am a stranger." + +"Very well," said Mademoiselle, "Mother Meraut shall lead the way +with the cows. You, Kathleen and Louise," she said, turning to +two of the gray-uniformed girls, "you shall attend the goats. +Mary and Martha may tackle the pigs. Pierre and Pierrette will +serve excellently as short-stops in case any of our live-stock +gets away, and the Doctor and I will bring up the rear." + +"It's going to be a regular circus!" said Kathleen. "I feel as if +we ought to wear spangles and be led by a band." + +"We haven't any clown, though," said Martha. + +"I shouldn't wonder," said Mary, "if we'd all look like clowns in +this parade." + +The car with the creatures in it was standing on a side track, +and the station agent, looking doubtfully at the girls, led the +way to it, and after the rabbits and fowls had been loaded into +the truck, placed a gangplank for the cows to walk down, and +opened the door of the car. But nothing happened; the cows +obstinately refused to step down the plank. + +"Here's a rope," said Mademoiselle, at last, throwing one up to +the agent. "I hoped we shouldn't need it, but I guess we do." + +The agent fixed the rope to the horns of one of the cows, and +threw the other end to Mademoiselle. "Now," said he, "pull gently +to begin with." + +Mademoiselle, pale but valiant, pulled, quietly at first, then +harder. The cow put her head down, braced her feet and backed. + +"Come on," cried Mademoiselle to the others, "we'll all have to +pull together." + +Any one who could get hold of it seized the rope. + +"I never played 'pom pom pull away' with a cow before," quavered +Louise. "I--I--don't feel sure she knows the rules of the game!" + +"She'll soon learn," said Mademoiselle, grimly. "Don't welch. +Now, then, one--two--three--pull!" + +At the word, they all leaned back and pulled. The cow, yielding +suddenly, shot out of the car like a cork out of a champagne +bottle, and the girls attached to the rope went down like a row +of bricks. The rope flew out of their hands, and the cow went +careering down the track with the rope dangling wildly after her, +while the other cow, fired by her example, came bawling after. +When they found grass by the roadside they became reasonable at +once. Mother Meraut then took charge of them, and, as Kathleen +remarked, "that ended the first movement." The second began when +the goats were unloaded. Mademoiselle took no chances with them. +She got the agent to put ropes on them in the first place, and +Kathleen and Louise, cautiously advancing to the plank, held up +propitiatory offerings of grass. + +"That 's right," laughed Mademoiselle, "leading citizens with +bouquets! Perhaps a speech of welcome might help. They aren't the +first old goats to be received that way." + +"Hush!" implored Louise. "My knees are knocking together so I can +hardly stand up now, and suppose they should butt!" + +"In the words of the immortal bard 'butt me no butts,'" murmured +Kathleen, as they reached the gang-plank. + +The agent, having attached the rope and released the goats from +their moorings, stood back and gave them full access to the open +door, holding the other end of the rope firmly in his hands. "You +can take the ropes when they are safely down the plank," he cried +gallantly. "They need a man to handle them." + +"Oh, thank you," said Kathleen and Louise with one voice. + +The goats accepted the suggestion of the open door at once and +galloped down the gang-plank with such reckless speed that the +agent lost his footing and came coasting down after them. "Mille +tonneurs!" he exclaimed, as he reached the end of the gang-plank +and struck a bed of gravel. "Those goats are possessed of the +devil!" + +The Doctor was beside him in an instant. "I hope you are not +injured," she cried. "Is there anything I can do for you? I am a +doctor." + +"No, Madame," said the agent, bowing politely, as he got himself +on his feet again, "I am hurt only in my pride, and you have no +medicine for that!" + +"Oh," cried Mademoiselle, "how brave it was of you! It's as you +say--they need a man to manage them!" + +The station agent looked at the goats, who were now grazing +peacefully, attended by Kathleen and Louise, and then, a little +thoughtfully, at Mademoiselle. "It is indeed better that a man +should take these risks," he said, throwing out his chest. "And +there are still the pigs! I doubt not they are as full of demons +as the Gadarene Swine themselves!" + +"What should we do without your help?" said Mademoiselle. "The +pigs cannot be roped!" + +"No," said the agent sadly, "they cannot." He considered a +moment. Then he motioned to Pierre and Pierrette, who were +standing with Mary and Martha at a respectful distance. "Come +here, all of you," he said, addressing them from the top of the +gang-plank; "pigs must be taken by strategy. I am an old soldier. +I will engineer an encircling movement. Mademoiselle; will you +stand here at the left, and, Madame la Docteur, will you station +yourself at my right? The rest of you arrange yourselves in a +curved line extending westward from Madame. Then I will release +the pigs, and you, watching their movements, will head them off +if they start in the wrong direction. Voila! We will now +commence." + +He went back into the car, and in another moment the pigs, +squealing vociferously, thundered down the gang-plank, gave one +look at the "encircling movement," and, wheeling about, instantly +dashed under the car and out on the other side into an open +field. It was not until they had made a complete tour of the +village, pursued by the entire personnel of the "encircling +movement" that they were at last turned into the Fontanelle road. + +"This isn't--the way--this parade--was advertised!" gasped +Kathleen, as she struggled with her goat in an effort to take her +appointed place in the caravan. "The--cows--were to--go--first!" + +"Never mind," answered Louise cheerfully, as she pulled her goat +into the road. "A little informality will be overlooked, I'm +sure." + +Mother Meraut followed them with the cows, and last of all +Mademoiselle and the Doctor climbed into the truck and brought up +the rear of the procession, with all the roosters crowing at the +top of their lungs. + +There is not time to tell of all the adventures that befell them +on the eventful journey back to Fontanelle. One can merely guess +that it must have been full of excitement, since the Reception +Committee did not reach the village with their charges until some +time after dark. Mother Meraut was worried because she was not +home in time to get a hot supper for the tired girls, but when +they arrived they found that Grand'mere had stepped into the +breach, and had made steaming hot soup for every one. Grandpere +and Father Meraut took charge of the live-stock, and Mother +Corbeille milked the cows. + +As they dragged themselves wearily to bed that night, Kathleen +decorated Mademoiselle with a huge cross,--cut out of paper,-- +which she pinned upon her nightgown. "For extreme gallantry," she +explained, "in leading your forces into action in face of a +fierce charge by two goats, and for taking prisoner two +rebellious pigs!" Then she saluted ceremoniously and tumbled into +bed. + + + +XII. MORNING IN THE MEADOW + +As summer came on, life seemed less and less sad to the people of +Fontanelle. With the coming of the Americans the outlook had so +changed that, although the war was not yet over, they could look +forward to the future with some degree of hope. The news brought +from Rheims by occasional refugees was always sad. The Germans +con tinued to shell the defenseless city, and the Cathedral +sustained more and more injuries, but the beautiful stained-glass +windows had been carefully taken down, the broken pieces put +together as far as possible, and the whole shipped to safer +places in France. The statue of Jeanne d'Arc within the church +had also been taken from its niche, while the one before the +Cathedral doors still remained unharmed by shot and shell. + +It comforted Mother Meraut to think of that valiant figure +standing alone amid such desolation. She had other things to +comfort her as well. With food and fresh air the roses bloomed +again in the cheeks of her children. Soon, too, the gardens began +to yield early vegetables. In the morning, instead of hearing the +sound of guns, they were awakened by bird-songs, or by the +crowing of cocks and the bleating of goats. These were pleasant +sounds to the people of Fontanelle, for they brought memories of +peaceful and prosperous days, and the promise of more to come. + +The rebuilding of the village was begun by the end of June, and +the sound of saws and hammers cheered them with the prospect of +comfortable homes before cold weather should come again. The work +proceeded slowly, for the workers were few, even though their +good friend the Commandant gave them all the help he could. There +were now a multitude of little chicks running about on what had +been the stately lawns of the Chateau, and there were twenty new +little rabbits in the rabbit-hutch. As the rabbits could not +forage for themselves, it was necessary for others to forage for +them, and this work fell to the lot of Pierre and Pierrette. + +One summer morning one of the roosters crowed very, very early, +and the Twins, having no clock, supposed it was time for them to +get up and go for fresh leaves and roots for the rabbits, as they +did every day. They rose at once, and the sun was just peering +above the eastern horizon as they came out of the stable door. +They went to the rabbit-hutch, and the rabbits, seeing them, +stood up on their hind legs and wiggled their noses hungrily. + +"Rabbits do have awful appetites," said Pierre, a little +ruefully, as he looked down at the empty food-box. "Just think +what a pile of things we brought them yesterday." + +"There's nothing to do but get them more, I suppose," answered +Pierrette. + +"I know where there's just bushels and bushels of water-cress," +said Pierre, "but it's quite a long distance off. You know the +brook that flows through the meadow between here and camp? It's +just stuffed with it, and rabbits like it better than almost +anything." + +"Let's go and get some now," said Pierrette. "We can take the +clothes-basket and bring back enough to last all day." + +Pierre went for the basket, and the two children started down the +road which ran beside the meadow toward the camp. It was so early +that not another soul in the village was up. Even the rooster had +gone to sleep again after his misguided crowing. One pale little +star still winked in the morning sky, but the birds were already +winging and singing, as the children, carrying the basket between +them, set forth upon their quest. + +When they reached the brook, they set down the basket, took off +their wooden shoes, and, wading into the stream, began gathering +great bunches of the cress. They were so busy filling their +basket that they did not notice the sun had gone out of sight +behind a cloud-bank, and that the air was still with that strange +breathless stillness that precedes a storm. It was not until a +loud clap of thunder, accompanied by a flash of light ning, +suddenly broke the silence, that they knew the storm was upon +them. When they looked up, the meadow grasses were bend ing low +before a sudden wind, and the trees were swaying to and fro as if +in terror, against the background of an angry sky. + +"Wow!" said Pierre. "I guess we're in for it! We can't possibly +get home before it breaks." + +"Oh," gasped Pierrette, as another peal of thunder shook the air, +"I don't want to stay out in it. What shall we do?" + +Pierre looked about him. A little distance beyond the brook, +toward the camp, there was a straw-stack with a rough straw- +thatched shed beside it, half hidden under a group of small +trees. Pierre pointed to it. "We'll leave the basket here," he +said, "and hide under the straw until the storm is over. Then we +can come back again, get it, and go home." + +Another clap of thunder, louder still, sent them flying on their +way, and they did not speak again until they were under the +shelter of the shed. The first big drops fell as they reached it, +and then the storm broke in a fury of wind and water. The +children cowered against the stack itself as far as possible out +of reach of the driving rain. + +They had been there but a few moments, when they heard a new +sound in addition to the roar of the wind and the patter of the +rain upon the leaves. It was the dull tread of heavy footsteps, +and they were surprised to see a man running toward the straw- +stack, his head bent to shield his face from the rain, under the +brim of an old hat. His clothes were rough and unkempt, and +altogether his appearance was so forbidding that the children +instinctively dived under the straw at the edge of the stack like +frightened mice, and burrowed backward until they were completely +hidden, though they could still peep out through the loose straw. + +The man reached the shed almost before they were out of view, but +it was evident that he had not seen them, for he did not glance +in their direction. He took off his hat and shook the rain-drops +from it. Then he wiped his face and neck with a soiled +handkerchief and sat down on the edge of a bench that had once +been used for salting cattle. He sat still for a little while, +with his feet drawn up on the bench and his hands clasping his +knees, the better to escape the rain. Then he began to grow +restless. He walked back and forth and peered out into the rain +in the direction of the camp. The children were so frightened +they could hear their own hearts beat, but they had been in +danger so many times, and in so many different ways that they +kept their presence of mind, and were able to follow closely his +every move. Soon they heard the sound of more footsteps, and +suddenly there dashed under the shed a soldier in the uniform of +France. It was evident that the first man expected him, for he +showed no surprise at his coming, and the two sat down together +on the bench and began to talk. + +The wind had now subsided a little, and though they spoke in low +tones the children could hear every word. + +"Whew!" said the soldier as he shook his rain-coat. "Nasty +weather." + +"All the better for our purposes," answered the other man. +"There's less chance of our being seen." + +"Not much chance of that, anyway, so early in the morning as +this," answered the soldier, looking at his watch. "It's not yet +four o'clock!" + +"Best not to linger, anyway," said the other man. "That Captain +of yours has the eyes of a hawk. I was up at camp the other day +selling cigarettes and chocolate, and he eyed me as if he was +struck with my beauty." + +"I wish you'd keep away from camp," said the soldier, +impatiently. "It isn't necessary, and you might run into some one +who knew you back in Germany. There are all kinds of people in +the Foreign Legion. I tell you, it isn't safe, and besides, I can +get all the information we need without it." + +"All right, General," responded the other, grinning. "But have +you _got_ it? That's the question. I expect that buzzard will be +flying around again over this field in a night or so,--the moon +is 'most full now, and the nights are light,--and I've got to be +able to signal him just how to find the powder magazine and the +other munitions. Then he can swoop right over there and drop one +of his little souvenirs where it will do the most good and fly +away home. I advise you to keep away from that section of the +camp yourself." + +"Here is the map," said the soldier, drawing a paper from his +pocket, "and there are also statistics as to the number of men +and all I can find out about plans for using them. Take good care +of it. It wouldn't be healthy to be found with it on you." + +The first man pocketed the paper. "That's all, is it?" he asked. + +"All for this time, anyway," answered the soldier. + +The man looked at him narrowly. + +"Well," said the soldier, "what's the matter? Don't I look like a +Frenchman?" + +"You'd deceive the devil himself," answered the man with a short +laugh. "No one would ever think you were born in Bavaria. Don't +forget and stick up the corners of your mustache, though. That +might give you away. When do you think you can get over to see +that fort?" + +"I don't know," answered the soldier sharply, " but I'll meet you +here day after to-morrow at the same hour. Auf Wiedersehen," and +he was gone. + +After his departure, his companion lingered a moment, lit a +cigarette, looked up at the sky, and, seeing that the shower was +nearly over, strolled off in the opposite direction. + +The children, looking after him, saw him come upon their basket +near the brook, examine it carefully, and then look about in +every direction as if searching for the owners. Seeing no one, he +gave it a kick and passed on. They watched him, not daring to +move until he turned toward the river and was out of sight. Later +they saw a boat come from the shelter of some bushes on the bank, +and slip quietly down the stream with the man in it. + +When they dared move once more they crawled out from under the +straw, and Pierrette said, "Well, what do you think of that?" + +"Think!" Pierre said, choking with wrath. "I think he's a +miserable dog of a spy! They are both spies! And they are going +to try to blow up the whole camp! You come along with me." He +seized Pierrette by the hand, and the two flew over the wet +meadow toward the distant camp. + +"Whatever should we do if we met that soldier?" gasped Pierrette, +breathless with running and excitement. + +"Look stupid," said Pierre promptly. "He didn't see us, and he'd +never dream we had seen him; but, by our blessed Saint Jeanne, +this is where I get even with the Germans! Let's find Jim and +Uncle Sam." + +Reveille was just sounding as they entered the camp and presented +themselves at the door of Uncle Sam's tent. During the weeks that +had elapsed since their arrival in France, Jim and Uncle Sam had +acquired a fair working knowledge of the language, and, though it +still remained a queer mixture of French and English, they and +the children managed to understand each other very well. + +"Bonjour, kids!" cried Uncle Sam in astonishment, when he saw the +two children at the tent door. "What on earth are you doing here? +Don't you know visitors are not expected in camp at this hour?" + +"Sh--sh!" said Pierre, laying his finger on his lips. "Nobody +must see us! We have important news!" + +Uncle Sam sat up in bed. "Why, I believe you have," he said, +looking attentively. at their pale faces. "Just wait a minute +while I get my clothes on. Here, you--Jim," he added, poking a +recumbent figure in the adjoining cot. "Roll out! It's reveille!" + +Jim sat up at once and rubbed his eyes, and, after a hurried +consultation, the two men turned the two children with their +faces to the wall in one corner of the tent, while they made a +hasty toilet in the other. + +"Now, then, out with it," said Uncle Sam a few moments later. +"Que vooly-voo? What's up?" + +Jim sat down beside him on the edge of the cot, and the two men +listened in amazement to the story the two children had to tell. +When they had finished, Uncle Sam wasted no words. "Come with me +to the Captain tooty sweet," he said. And Jim added, as he patted +the Twins tenderly on the head, "By George, mes enfants, you +ought to get the war cross for this day's work." + +A few moments more, and the children and Uncle Sam were ushered +by an orderly into the presence of the Captain, who was just in +the act of shaving. Uncle Sam's message to him had been so +imperative that they were admitted at once to his presence, even +though his face was covered with lather and he was likely to fill +his mouth with soap if he opened it. Uncle Sam saluted, and the +Twins, wishing to be as polite as possible, saluted too. The +Captain returned the salute, and went on shaving as he listened +to their story, grunting now and then emphatically instead of +speaking, on account of the soap. When Pierre came to what the +soldier had said under the shed, he was so much interested that +he cut his chin. + +"So that's their program, is it?" he sputtered, soap and all, +mopping his chin. "But how on earth did you happen to be in such +a place as that at such an hour in the morning?" + +Pierre explained about the rabbits and the cress, and Uncle Sam +added: "They're from Fontanelle. Their father is a soldier +wounded at the Marne, and they lived under fire in Rheims for +eight months before coming here. They're some kids, believe me! +They know what war is." + +"Yes," said the Captain, "I remember them; they came up the river +some weeks ago." Then he turned to the children. "Would you know +that soldier if you were to see him again?" he asked. + +"Oh, yes," said the children. + +"Very well," said the Captain, "the men will go to breakfast +soon. You stay with Sam and watch them, and if you see that man +go by you step on Sam's foot. No one must see you do it. Be sure +you don't make a mistake now," he added, "and if you really do +unearth the rascal, it's the best day's work you ever did, for +yourselves as well as for France. Sam, you report to me +afterwards, and be sure you give no occasion for suspicion to any +one." + +"Yes, sir," said Sam, and saluted. Pierre and Pierrette saluted +also. + +The Captain returned the salute with ceremony. "You are true +soldiers of France," he said to the Twins as they left his tent. + + +If their comrades were surprised to see Uncle Sam standing with +two children by his side while the others passed into the mess +tent with cups and plates in hand, no one said anything. It was a +little irregular to be sure--but then--Americans were always +unexpected! For a long time the men filed by, and still there was +no sign of the face they sought. At last, however, Pierre came +down solidly on Uncle Sam's right foot, and at the same time +Pierrette touched his left with her wooden shoe. There, right in +front of them, carrying his plate and cup, and twirling his +mustache, was the man they sought! + +The Twins stood still, and not by the quiver of an eyelash did +they betray any excitement until the man had passed into the +tent. Then Uncle Sam said to them, "Now you scoot for home, or +your Mother will be worried to death! Tell your Father and Mother +all about it, but don't tell another soul at present." The +children flew back across the meadow, picked up their basket of +cress, and when they reached the Chateau, fed the hungry rabbits. +Then they found their Father and Mother and told them their +morning's adventures. + + + +XIII. CHILDREN OF THE LEGION + +It must not be supposed, because things were more cheerful for +the inhabitants of Fontanelle, that they had forgotten the war. +They were reminded of it every day, not only by the presence of +soldiers, but by the sound of distant guns, and by the visits of +German airplanes. Often in the middle of the night an alarm would +be given, and the people of the village would spring from their +beds and seek refuge in the cellars of the. Chateau--that is, all +but Kathleen; she obstinately refused to go, even when the Doctor +reasoned with her. "Let me die in my bed," she pleaded. "It's +better form. Our best people have always done it, and besides +when I'm waked suddenly that way I'm apt to be cross." So, when +the sound of the buzzing motor was heard in the sky, she simply +drew the covers over her head, and stayed where she was, while a +strange, half-clad procession, recruited from stables and +granary, filed into the Chateau cellar. These raids were likely +to occur on bright nights, and as the time of the full moon +approached, the people of the village grew more watchful and +slept less soundly. + +On the night following the adventure of the Twins in the meadow, +though the moon shone, no aerial visitor appeared, nor did one +come the next night after. Neither did any news from camp come to +the village. Pierre and Pierrette longed to tell Mademoiselle and +the Doctor their secret, but Uncle Sam had told them to share it +with no one but their parents, and they knew obedience was the +first requisite of a good soldier; so they said nothing, and +nearly burst in consequence. They went no more to the meadow +after cress, however. Mother Meraut saw to that. If they had gone +there on the morning of the next day but one after their +encounter with the spies, they would have had a still more +thrilling expe rience, for at midnight Uncle Sam, Jim, and the +Captain had quietly stolen away from camp and hidden themselves +in the straw. There they stayed until in the gray of the early +dawn they saw a boat come up the river, and the slouching figure +of the spy stalk across the meadow to his rendez-vous under the +shed. They stayed there until the soldier appeared, and until +they had heard with their own ears the plan for signaling the +German airplane that night, and for giving information which +would en able the aviator to blow up their stores of powder and +ammunition. Then, suddenly and swiftly, at a prearranged signal, +the three men sprang from the straw, and the astonished spies +found themselves surrounded and covered by the muzzles of three +guns. They saw at once that resistance was useless, and sullenly +obeyed the Captain's order to throw up their hands. They were +then marched back to camp, turned over to the proper authorities, +and the next morning at sunrise they met the fate of all spies +who are caught. + +That was not the end of the affair, however, for, knowing that +the airplane which the spy had referred to as the "Buzzard" was +to be expected that night, and that the German aviator would look +for signals from the straw-stack, plans were made for his +reception, and this part of the drama was witnessed from the +village as well as from the camp. The night was clear, and at +about eleven o'clock the whirr of a motor was heard in the +distance. The Doctor, who had returned late from a visit to a +sick patient in an adjoining village, heard it, and at once gave +the alarm. Out of their beds tumbled the sleepy people of +Fontanelle, and, wrapping themselves in blankets or any garment +they could snatch, they ran out of doors and gazed anxiously into +the sky. + +Pierre and Pierrette, with their parents and grandparents, were +among the first to appear. They saw the black speck sail swiftly +from the east, and hover like a bird of ill omen over the +meadows. No alarm sounded from the camp, but suddenly from the +shadows three French planes shot into the air. Two at once +engaged the enemy, while a third cut off his retreat. The battle +was soon over. There were sharp reports of guns and blinding +flashes of fire as the great machines whirled and maneuvered in +the air, and then the German, finding himself outnumbered and +with no way of escape, came to earth and was taken prisoner. + +"Three of 'em bagged, by George," exclaimed Jim to Uncle Sam, +when the aviator was safely locked up in the guardhouse, "and all +due to the pluck and sense of those two kids. If it hadn't been +for them, the chances are we'd all have been ready for cold +storage by this time. They've saved the camp--that's what they've +done! There are explosives enough stored here to have blown every +one of us to Kingdom-come!" + +"Right you are, Jim," replied Uncle Sam with hearty emphasis, "we +surely do owe them something, and that's a cinch. Let's talk with +the boys." + +That night Uncle Sam and Jim made eloquent use of all the French +they knew as they sat about the camp-fire, and told the story of +Pierre and Pierrette to their comrades in arms. Not only did they +tell of their finding the spies and saving the camp from +destruction, but of their Father, wounded at the Marne, of their +experience in the Cathedral at Rheims, and of all they had +suffered there, and especially of their plucky Mother whose +spirit no misfortune could break. And when they had finished the +tale, the men gave such a hearty cheer for the whole Meraut +family that it was heard in the village a mile away, though no +one there had the least idea what the noise was about. + +The next day Uncle Sam and Jim appeared in Fontanelle and told +the story of the spies to the Doctor and Mademoiselle, and then +they held a long private conference with Mother Meraut. The +children were on pins and needles to know what they were talking +about, and why Mother Meraut looked so happy afterward, but she +only shook her head when they begged her to tell them, and said, +"Someday you'll find out." + +Two days later an orderly rode into the Chateau gate on +horseback, and inquired for Pierre and Pierrette Meraut. At the +moment he arrived the Twins were feeding the rabbits, but they +came running to the gate when their Mother called them, and the +orderly handed them an envelope with their names on it in large +letters. The Twins were so excited they could hardly wait to know +what was inside. They had never before received a letter. Their +Mother opened it and read the contents to the astonished +children. This was the note:-- + +"The Commandant and men of the Foreign Legion request the +pleasure of the company of Pierre and Pierrette Meraut, and of +all the people of Fontanelle at a birthday party to be held at +Camp (of course the exact name of the camp has to be left out on +account of the Censor) "on July 14th at 4 o'clock in the +afternoon. R. S. V. P." + +The eyes of Pierre and Pierrette almost popped out of their heads +with surprise. "Why, Mother," they cried, "that's our birthday! +And it's Bastille Day too! Do you suppose it is the birthday of +the Com- mandant also?" + +"Maybe," said their Mother, smiling. "Anyway it is the birthday +of our dear France." + +The orderly smiled, too, and touched his hat. "Is there an +answer?" he asked. + +"There will be," said Mother Meraut, "but first the others must +be told." + +The Twins ran with their wonderful letter to the dispensary and +told the Doctor. Then they found Mademoiselle, who, with +Kathleen's assistance, was putting a new tire on one wheel of the +truck. They found Louise mending a chicken-coop, and Mary and +Martha sorting supplies in the storeroom. They found all the +other people of the village, some in the garden and some working +elsewhere, and every single one said they should be delighted to +go. + +"Now," said Mademoiselle, when they returned to her and reported, +"you must write your acceptance." + +The Twins looked blank. "Can't we just tell him?" they asked +anxiously. "We can't write very well--not well enough to write to +the Commandant." + +"Oh, but," said Mademoiselle, "I'm sure he will expect a letter, +and you must just write the very best you can, and it will be +good enough, I'm sure. Get writing-materials, and I will help +you." + +At her direction Pierre brought paper and ink from her little +house, and the two children sat down on the ground beside the +truck. + +"Now, what shall we say?" asked Pierrette. + +"I know," said Pierre; "let's say: 'Thank you for asking us to +your party. We are all coming. Amen!' Don't you think that would +do?" + +Mademoiselle bent over her tire. "Yes," she said, "I think he +will like that, but I'd both sign it if I were you." + +So the Twins signed it and put it in an envelope and gave it to +the orderly, who promptly put it in his pocket, saluted, wheeled +his horse, and galloped away toward camp. + +The days before the party were full of excitement for the Twins. +They thought of nothing else, and how strange it was that +Bastille Day and the Commandant's birthday both should be the +same as theirs. Mother Meraut bought some cloth, and made +Pierrette a new dress, and Pierre a new blouse, to wear on the +great occasion, and when the day finally came, the children +searched the fields to find flowers for a bouquet for the +Commandant; since they had no other birthday gift to offer him. + +At three o'clock in the afternoon the whole village was ready to +start. Mademoiselle drove the truck with the old people and +little children sitting in it on heaps of straw. Kathleen was the +driver of the Ford car, and had as passengers Father Meraut, +because he was lame, and Grandpere because he was Grandpere, and +the Twins because it was their birthday; and everybody else +walked. + +When they reached the camp, they found Jim and Uncle Sam ready to +act as guard of honor to conduct them to the Commandant, who, +with the Captain beside him, waited to receive them beside the +flagstaff at the reviewing-stand of the parade-ground. It seemed +very strange to Pierre and Pierrette that they should walk before +their parents, and even before the Doctor and Mademoiselle, but +Uncle Sam and Jim arranged the procession, and placed them at its +head. So, carrying their bouquet of flowers, they followed +obediently where their escort led. "Now, kids," said Uncle Sam in +a low voice as they neared the reviewing-stand, "walk right up +and mind your manners. Salute and give him the bouquet, and speak +your piece." + +"We haven't any piece to speak," quavered Pierrette, very much +frightened, "except to wish him many happy returns of his +birthday." + +Uncle Sam's eyes twinkled. "That'll do all right," he said; only +of course he said it in French. + +The regiment was massed before the reviewing-stand as the little +company came forward to meet their host, and when at last Pierre +and Pierrette stood before the Commandant, with the beautiful +flag of France floating over them, though they had been fearless +under shell-fire, their knees knocked together with fright, and +it was in a very small voice that they said, together, "Bonjour, +Monsieur le Commandant, accept these flowers and our best wishes +for many happy returns of your birthday." + +The Commandant took the flowers and smiled down at them. "It is +not my birthday, my little ones," he said gently, "it is the +birthday of our glorious France and of two of her brave soldiers, +Pierre and Pierrette Meraut, as well, and the Foreign Legion is +here to celebrate it! Come up here beside me." He drew them up +beside him on the reviewing-stand and turned their astonished +faces toward the regiment. + +"Men of the Foreign Legion," he said, "these are the children who +discovered two spies, and by reporting them saved our camp from +probable destruction." Then, turning again to the children, he +said: "By your prompt and intelligent action you have prevented a +terrible catastrophe. In recognition of your services the Foreign +Legion desires to make you honorary members of the regiment, and +France is proud to claim you as her children!" Then he pinned +upon their breasts a cockade of blue, white, and red, the colors +of France, and kissed them on both cheeks, the regiment meanwhile +standing at attention. + +When he had finished the little ceremony, the men, responding to +a signal from the Captain; burst into a hearty cheer. "Vive +Pierre! Vive Pierrette! Vive tous les Meraut," they cried. + +For a moment the Twins stood stunned, petrified with +astonishment, looking at the cheering men and at the proud +upturned faces of their parents and the people of Fontanelle. +Then Pierre was suddenly inspired. He waved his hat in salutation +to the flag which, floated above them and shouted back to the +regiment, "Vive la France!" and Pierrette saluted and kissed her +hand. Then the band struck up the Marseillaise, and everybody +sang it at the top of his lungs. + +It was a wonderful golden time that followed, for when the +children had thanked the Commandant, all the people of Fontanelle +were invited to sit on the reviewing-stand and watch the regiment +go through the regular drill and extra maneuvers in honor of the +day, and when that was over, the guests were escorted back to the +mess tent, and there they had supper with the men. Moreover, the +camp cook had made a magnificent birthday cake, all decorated +with little French flags. It was cut with the Captain's own +sword, and though there wasn't enough for the whole regiment, +every one from Fontanelle had a bite, and Pierre and Pierrette +each had a whole piece. + +When the beautiful bright day was over and they were back again +in Fontanelle, the Twins found that even this was not the end of +their joy and good fortune, for Mother Meraut told them that the +regiment had put in her care a sum of money to provide for their +education. "Children of such courage and good sense must be well +equipped to serve their country when they grow up," the +Commandant had said, and the men, responding to his appeal, had +put their hands in their pockets and brought out a sum sufficient +to make such equipment possible. + +More than that, Uncle Sam and Jim had two small uniforms made for +them,--only Pierrette's had a longer skirt to the coat,--and on +parade days and other great occasions they wore them to the camp, +with the blue, white, and red cockades pinned proudly upon their +breasts. Indeed, they became the friends and pets of the whole +regiment, and were quite as much at home with the soldiers as +with the people of Fontanelle. + +Then one day Uncle Sam had a letter from home in which there was +wonderful news. It said that the city of Rheims had been +"adopted" by the great, rich city of Chicago far away across the +seas, and that some happy day when the war should be over and +peace come again to the distracted world, Rheims should rise +again from its ashes, rebuilt by its American friends. + +In this hope the Twins still live and work, performing their +duties faithfully each day, like good soldiers, and praying +constantly to the Bon Dieu and their adored Saint Jeanne that the +blessings which have come to them may yet come also to all their +beloved France. + + + +PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY + +KEY + +ale, care, am, arm, ask; eve, end; menu, ice, ill; old, obey, +orb, odd; food; zh = z in azure; N = the French nasal. ' An +apostrophe indicates a short sounding of the preceding consonant. + +_Proper Names_ + +Aisne +Amerique +Boche +Charly +Corbeille +Coudert +Fifine +Jacqueline +Jacques +Jeanne d'Arc +Marseillaise +Meraut +Pierre +Rheims +Varennes +Vesle + + +_French Words and Phrases_ + +Abbe + +Bon Dieu (Heavenly Father) + +Bonjour (Good-day; hello; how do you do?) + +chateau (castle) + +combattre le Boche (fight the Boche) + +grand'mere (grandmother) + +grandpere (grandfather) + +"Les Americains des Etats-Unis, duns l'uniforme de la France. +Mais maintenant nous exterminons le Boche." ("Americans from the +United States, in the uniform of France. Surely now we shall +crush out the Boche.") + +Mille tonneurs! (Great heavens!) + +Que voulez-vous? (What do you wish?) + +Verger + +Vive (Long live) + +Vive la France (Long life to France!) + +Vive tous les Meraut (Long life to all the Meraut family.) + +"Auf Wiedersehen" (German: "Till we meet again," or "Good-bye.") + +"Lieb' Vaterland, macht ruhig sein" (German national anthem: +"Dear Fatherland, be tranquil.") + + +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS + +The French Twins offers a valuable supplement to the study of +current events. In the first place, there is no problem of +arousing interest in the nation which this book represents. +France and the French people have from the outbreak of the Great +War compelled new and intense interest and sympathy from all +Americans; and each fresh insight into the character, life, and +ideals of the country is eagerly welcomed. Moreover, in any class +there will be few children who cannot claim either a relative or +a friend who has served in the War; and many, like Pierre and +Pierrette Meraut, will have had soldier fathers, thereby creating +a bond between themselves and the Merauts strong enough to +guarantee the pupils' interest throughout the reading of the +book. Like the other books of the "Twins Series," _The French +Twins_ adapts itself readily to dramatization. + +In providing adequate background for the story, the teacher will +find fertile resources in newspapers and magazines. _The Red +Cross Magazine_, _The National Geographic Magazine_, the Boy +Scout and the Girl Scout publications, are readily accessible and +contain much valuable supplementary material for classroom use. +The Foreign Legion, the Battles of the Marne, Joffre's visit to +the United States, Rheims Cathedral, important events near the +scenes of the story, etc., can be made clear and real to the +children by the aid of maps, illustrations, and articles in these +magazines, and by means of picture post-cards, and other material +from other sources. The story of the founding of the Red Cross, +the origin of its flag, etc., will help to vivify the incidents +connected with this organization. + +As for French history, the two focus points are the stoniest of +Joan of Arc and Bastille Day. Both furnish abundance of colorful +detail and incident upon which to build the pupils' conceptions +of the spirit and ideals of the French people. In the case of +Bastille Day, correlation should be made between that day and our +own Independence Day, comparing the French and American +Revolutions and indicating the similar circumstances in the two +movements. Lafayette's part in our War of the Revolution and +America's payment of our debt to France in the Great War form +another means of making familiar to the children the story of our +historic friendship with France. + +While _The French Twins_ is a war story, soldiers and trenches +and battle-fields are nevertheless not the main features; on the +contrary, _The French Twins_ depicts the necessary part played by +women, children, and old people during the War, and shows how the +spirit and aims of the soldiers' families have been the same as +those of the soldiers themselves. Self-control, endurance, and +cheerfulness at home are proved to be as much a part of true +bravery as fearlessness in battle. Since the soldier's part in +the War has been held closely to everyone's attention, the +reading of this story will supply a balancing view of the other +side of war; and the pupils' perspective of the whole cannot fail +to gain in scope. + +Books which may be commended to the teacher, for descriptions of +various aspects of the Great War, are: Hay's _The First Hundred +Thousand_; Nicolas's _Campaign Diary of a French Officer_; +Aldrich's _A Hilltop on the Marne_; Hall's _High Adventure_ and +_Kitcheners Mob_; Buswell's _Ambulance No. 10_; Haigh's _Life in +a Tank_; Stevenson's _From "Poilu" to "Yank"_; two anonymous +books, _The Retreat from Mons_ and _Friends of France_; Paine's +_The Fighting Fleets_; and Root and Crocker's _Over Periscope +Pond_. + +For children's reading, we suggest Mrs. Perkins's _The +Belgian Twins_, Sara Cone Bryant's _I am an American_, +Thwaites and Kendall's _History of the United States_, +Tappan's _Little Book of the War_, and such compilations +as _Stories of Patriotism_ and _The Patriotic Reader_. + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The French Twins +by Lucy Fitch Perkins + |