Part 1, Storm In June: Chapters 11 and 12 Summary

Maruice and Jeanne Michaud continue on foot toward Tours, along with hundreds of others fleeing Paris. Nemirovsky describes the lucky, (or unlucky) as those having carts, wheelbarrows, bags, tattered clothing, sleeping children as those who do not know how to manage. Many help Jeanne Michaud when she becomes unable to walk, and her husband helps others carry their baggage. Maurice Michaud, not unhappy, has no inflated view of his importance in the world, and sees the bigger picture that historically, there have always been mass migrations and is not taking this personally.

Traveling in random small groups and passing by French soldiers, Jeanne Michaud often thinks she sees her son, whom she deeply loves, misses and longs for. Others also search the faces for missing relatives, and the moving hoard becomes confusing and...