Amelie and I did not say a
word to each other until we reached the road that turns off to the
Chateau de Conde; but I did speak to a man on horseback, who proved to
be the intendant of one of the chateaux at Daumartin, and with another
who was the mayor. I simply asked from where these people had come, and
was told that they were evacuating Daumartin and all the towns on the
plain between there and Meaux, which meant that Monthyon, Neufmortier,
Penchard, Chauconin, Barcy, Chambry,--in fact, all the villages visible
from my garden were being evacuated by order of the military powers.
One of the most disquieting things about this was to see the effect of
the procession as it passed along the road. All the way from Esbly to
Montry people began to pack at once, and the speed with which they fell
into the procession was disconcerting.
When we finally escaped from the crowd into the poplar-shaded avenue
which leads to the Chateau de Conde, I turned to look at Amelie for the
first time. I had had time to get a good hold of myself.
"Well, Amelie?" I said.
"Oh, madame," she replied, "I shall stay."
"And so shall I," I answered; but I added, "I think I must make an
effort to get to Paris to-morrow, and I think you had better come with
me.
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