With that startling rapidity which we had observed each time we had had to retire on the Meuse, the country became alive with lines of infantry. Companies and battalions were emerging from the woods and from behind the hedges, and overspread the stubble-fields, massing in the hollows. "Hallo! what does that mean?" asked Bréjard. "Are those swine turning tail?" exclaimed Millon, crossing his arms. The Captain anxiously observed the movements of the infantry. "No," said he. "Those are reserve troops advancing towards the north in order to face the enemy if he outflanks us." Orders came for us to go and take up position between Sennevières and Nanteuil-le-Haudoin. There could be no doubt about it. The enemy was turning our lines. We were seized with a fit of wild rage. Would they manage to pass us, and get to Paris? To Paris ... to our homes ... to kill, sack, rape?... "Ah," growled Hutin, "what wouldn't I give to murder some of those savages!" "Trot!" commanded the Captain. Bending down over their horses' necks the drivers urged the teams forward with voice, knees, whip, and spur. The same gust of wind seemed to carry with it men, horses, and guns--all this artillery let loose like a tide on the barren fields, over whose furrows it billowed and surged. We took up position with our guns pointing north-east. Behind us the sun, already low in the western sky, lit up the railway-line and the road from Nanteuil to Paris, flanked with tall trees. Sections of infantry began to fall back. "You see?" repeated Millon. "They can't stick it, the beasts! Haven't they read the Army Order then?" Suddenly, almost behind us, rifle-fire broke out. We had been outflanked. On the main road to Paris, and between the road and the railway, dense masses of infantry were debouching from behind Nanteuil. We were encircled by a huge hostile horseshoe, and it now seemed as if the only means of retreat open to the 4th Army Corps was the narrow road running south-east between Sennevières and Silly. An officer wearing an aviator's cap arrived in a motor-car and hurried up to the observation-post. Shortly afterwards the Major ordered us to turn the guns right round. At any moment we might be caught between two fires, for, to the north-west of Nanteuil, on the hills commanding the road, there could be no doubt that the enemy's artillery was taking up position in order to support the infantry attack. Our batteries opened fire. The same wild frenzy immediately gained possession of men and guns. The latter became roaring monsters--raging dragons, which from their gaping mouths belched fire at the sun as it sank to rest in the soft summer twilight. Piles of smoking cartridges-cases mounted up behind the guns. In the stricken zone in front of us we could see men waver, turn tail, run, and fall in heaps. From the heights above Nanteuil, from which our guns could have been counted, came no answering roar of artillery. For a long time the slaughter continued.