We were awakened last night by the tramping and neighing of horses. The horses' hoofs seemed to have been wrapped in something. The sound was muffled. My mother and I called to each other: "It is the Boches." Did they hear us? The windows of our bedroom open on the street. At any rate, the pace quickened, and finally died away in the direction of the ford--a road leading to the Aulnois woods behind our house, then to Pavé-des-Roizes, communicating with the Condé woods and the banks of the Chalifert canal. We did not get up quickly enough to find out what this expedition was that was being carried on with so much mystery. It is a great pity, for the night was clear, and it would certainly have been possible to see. VI 2 September, 1914. THE King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, commanded by Captain Simpson, arrived at the same time as the heavy artillery, and is camping at Demi-Lune. The regiment has retreated all the way from Belgium and these brave men have been fighting continually since the Battle of Mons on August 23. These are their first days of rest. Heavy ration trucks and hospital ambulances, superbly appointed, line the road. The soldiers are splendidly set up and perfectly equipped. Spruce, shining, freshly shaved, they are as clean and correct when they present themselves to us as if they had just stepped out of a bandbox. They are very reserved in speech, and do not talk much unless we question them. Even so, we have to be careful not to put indiscreet questions. On our asking: "Where are the Germans?" "Far, far away," they answer, with a wave of the hand. They do their best to reassure us and gaily begin whistling "Tipperary." Their coolness allays our fears. This afternoon the detachment of Hussars stationed at Meaux marched by. People were already uneasy, and after that they were more than ever convinced that it was time to flee. This evening everyone is impatient to be off. Esbly is already evacuated. A few Scotch troops are beginning to arrive there. Neufmontiers, Penchard, Dammartin, all the communes in the immediate vicinity of Meaux, are evacuated. Official records of real estate, also birth, marriage, and death registers, and the municipal archives have been removed to the quarries of Mareuil, along with the arms deposited by civilians. Departures are growing more frequent. People in Quincy are preparing to go, likewise some of the inhabitants of Voisins. The mayor and the curé have already been mobilized. Are we alone to remain behind? [Illustration: Voisins-Quincy. Rue de Condé] Before leaving, everyone wants to save his most treasured possessions. Mattresses, beds, old furniture--the most absurd and unlikely things--are carried from one end of the village to the other to be hidden in the underground passages which abound in Voisins and Huiry.