All this had passed in a few moments. Materne and his sons had stood looking on, as people do look on at anything horrible to know what it is. Then they had seen in a corner on the left, just under the old Dutch clock, a heap of arms and legs jumbled together. Nicolas's arm had already been thrown on to the top, and the doctor was preparing to extract a ball from the shoulder of a mountaineer of the Harberg with red whiskers; large gashes in form of a cross had to be made in his back, and from his hairy, shuddering flesh the blood was streaming down to his boots. It was strange to see the dog, Pluto, behind the doctor, surveying the operations with an attentive look, as if he understood it all; and from time to time he stretched his legs and bent his back with a yawn that reached from ear to ear. Materne could not bear to see any more. "Let us be going," said he. They had hardly entered the dark walk when they heard the doctor exclaim, "I've got the ball!" which must have caused great pleasure to the man from Harberg. Once outside, and breathing the fresh clear air, Materne ejaculated: "And to think that the same might have happened to us!" "Yes," replied Kasper; "to get a bullet through your head is no great matter; but it's another thing to be chopped about like that, and have to beg your bread for the rest of your days." "Oh! I should do like old Rochart, for my part," said Frantz; "I should just die quietly, without any bother. When you've done your duty, what have you to fear? The good God is always the same!" At this moment, the hum of voices was heard on their right. "It is Marc Divès and Hullin," said Kasper, listening. "Oh, yes! they have been, no doubt, making barricades behind the fir forest to protect the cannon," added Frantz. They listened again; the footsteps drew nearer. "You are greatly embarrassed with those three prisoners," Hullin was saying, in an abrupt tone. "Since you return to Falkenstein to-night to procure ammunition, what prevents your taking them with you?" "But where shall I put them?" "Where? Why, in the public prison of Abreschwiller; we cannot keep them here." "All right; I understand, Jean-Claude; and if they attempt to escape by the way, I shall plant my toasting-iron between their shoulders." "Of course, of course." They had by this time reached the door, and Hullin, perceiving Materne, could not restrain a cry of delight. "Ah! is it you, old fellow? I've been looking for you for the last hour. Where the deuce have you been to?" "We've been carrying poor Rochart to the hospital, Jean-Claude." "Ah! that's a bad job, isn't it?" "Yes, very bad." There was a moment's silence, and then, the worthy man's satisfaction regaining the upper hand, "Yes; it's not pleasant," he went on; "but what can you do? It's the chance of war. You're not hit, you fellows?" "No; we are all three safe and sound." "So much the better, so much the better. Those who are left may boast of having been lucky."