"For my part, Jerôme, I only wish to ask you one thing: I know already that the men under your command fought well." "We did our duty," replied the shoemaker; "there are sixty men lying dead on the side of the Grosmann, who will be able to say as much at the last judgment." "Yes; but who, then, was it that acted as guide to the Germans? They could not of themselves have found out the passage of the Blutfeld." "It is Yégof, the fool Yégof," said Jerôme, whose gray eyes, circled by deep wrinkles, and overhung by thick white eyebrows, seemed really to flash with fire as he spoke. "Ah! You are quite sure of it?" "Labarbe's men saw him in the act--he was leading the others." The mountaineers regarded each other with looks of indignation. At this moment Doctor Lorquin, who had stayed outside to unharness the horse, opened the door, exclaiming: "The pass is lost! Here are our men from the Donon; I have just heard Lagarmitte's horn." It is easy to imagine the emotion of the bystanders. Every one began to think of the relations, the friends, whom he might perhaps never see again, and all, including those in the kitchen and the barn, rushed out to learn the news. At the same moment, Robin and Dubourg, who were placed as sentinels on the Bois-des-Chênes, exclaimed: "Who goes there?" "France," replied a voice. And, in spite of the distance, Louise, thinking she recognised her father's voice, was seized with such a sudden emotion, that Catherine was obliged to support her in her arms. Almost immediately the sound of a number of footsteps was heard upon the hard crisp snow, and Louise, no longer able to contain herself, cried out, in a trembling voice: "Papa Jean-Claude!" "Here I am," replied Hullin, "here I am!" "My father?" exclaimed Frantz Materne, running to meet Jean-Claude. "He is with us, Frantz." "And Kasper?" "He has received a little scratch; nothing worth speaking of; you will see them both directly." At the same moment Catherine threw herself into Hullin's arms. "Oh! Jean-Claude, what happiness to see you again!" "Yes," said the brave man, in a sorrowful tone, "there are many who will never behold those they love again." "Frantz," old Materne was then heard calling out, "here! this way!" And on all sides nothing was to be seen but people looking for each other, shaking hands and embracing. Others were calling, "Niclau! Sapheri!" but from more than one no answer came. Then the voices grew hoarse, as if stifling, and ended by being silent. The joy of some, and the consternation of others, imparted a sort of terror to the scene. Louise was weeping freely in Hullin's arms. "Ah! Jean-Claude," said Dame Lefévre, "you have got something to hear about that child there. At present I shall not tell you anything, except that we were attacked."