It was Dr. Dalichamp again in this instance who offered the services of his gig and himself as driver to Bouillon.  The good man’s courage and kindness were boundless.  At Raucourt, where typhus was raging, communicated by the Bavarians, there was not a house where he had not one or more patients, and this labor was additional to his regular attendance at the two hospitals at Raucourt and Remilly.  His ardent patriotism, the impulse that prompted him to protest against unnecessary barbarity, had twice led to his being arrested by the Prussians, only to be released on each occasion.  He gave a little laugh of satisfaction, therefore, the morning he came with his vehicle to take up Jean, pleased to be the instrument of assisting the escape of another of the victims of Sedan, those poor, brave fellows, as he called them, to whom he gave his professional services and whom he aided with his purse.  Jean, who knew of Henriette’s straitened circumstances and had been suffering from lack of funds since his relapse, accepted gratefully the fifty francs that the doctor offered him for traveling expenses.

Father Fouchard did things handsomely at the leave-taking, sending Silvine to the cellar for two bottles of wine and insisting that everyone should drink a glass to the extermination of the Germans.  He was a man of importance in the country nowadays and had his “plum” hidden away somewhere or other; he could sleep in peace now that the francs-tireurs had disappeared, driven like wild beasts from their lair, and his sole wish was for a speedy conclusion of the war.  He had even gone so far in one of his generous fits as to pay Prosper his wages in order to retain his services on the farm, which the young man had no thought of leaving.  He touched glasses with Prosper, and also with Silvine, whom he at times was half inclined to marry, knowing what a treasure he had in his faithful, hard-working little servant; but what was the use? he knew she would never leave him, that she would still be there when Charlot should be grown and go in turn to serve his country as a soldier.  And touching his glass to Henriette’s, Jean’s, and the doctor’s, he exclaimed: 

“Here’s to the health of you all!  May you all prosper and be no worse off than I am!”

Henriette would not let Jean go away without accompanying him as far as Sedan.  He was in citizen’s dress, wearing a frock coat and derby hat that the doctor had loaned him.  The day was piercingly cold; the sun’s rays were reflected from a crust of glittering snow.  Their intention had been to pass through the city without stopping, but when Jean learned that his old colonel was still at the Delaherches’ he felt an irresistible desire to go and pay his respects to him, and at the same time thank the manufacturer for his many kindnesses.  His visit was destined to bring him an additional, a final sorrow, in that city of mournful memories.  On reaching the structure in the Rue Maqua they found