_The same hour of night. In the darkness it is difficult to discern the silhouettes of the ruined buildings and of the trees. At the right, a half-destroyed bridge. In the distance a fire is burning. From time to time the German flashlights are seen across the dark sky. Near the bridge, an automobile in which the wounded Emil Grelieu and his son are being carried to Antwerp. Jeanne and a young physician are with them. Something has broken down in the automobile and a soldier-chauffeur is bustling about with a lantern trying to repair it. Dr. Langloi stands near him._ DOCTOR _Uneasily._ Well? How is it? CHAUFFEUR _Examining._ I don't know yet. DOCTOR Is it a serious break? CHAUFFEUR No--I don't know. MAURICE _From the automobile._ What is it, Doctor? Can't we start? CHAUFFEUR _Angrily._ We'll start! DOCTOR I don't know. Something is out of order. He says it isn't serious. MAURICE Shall we stay here long? DOCTOR _To the chauffeur._ Shall we stay here long? CHAUFFEUR _Angrily._ How do I know? About ten minutes I think. Please hold the light for me. _Hands the lantern to the doctor._ MAURICE Then I will come out. JEANNE You had better stay here, Maurice. You may hurt your arm. MAURICE No, mother, I am careful. Where is the step? How inconvenient. Why don't they throw the flashlight here? _Jumps off and watches the chauffeur at work._ MAURICE How unfortunate that we are stuck here! CHAUFFEUR _Grumbling._ A bridge! How can anybody drive across such a bridge? DOCTOR Yes, it is unfortunate. We should have started out earlier. MAURICE _Shrugging his shoulders._ Father did not want to leave. How could we start? Mamina, do you think our people are already in Antwerp? JEANNE Yes, I think so. Emil, aren't you cold? EMIL GRELIEU No. It is very pleasant to breathe the fresh air. I feel stronger. DOCTOR _To Maurice._ I think we are still in the region which-- MAURICE Yes. What time is it, Doctor? DOCTOR _Looking at his watch._ Twenty--a quarter of ten. MAURICE Then it is a quarter of an hour since the bursting of the dams. Yes! Mamma, do you hear, it is a quarter of ten now! JEANNE Yes, I hear. MAURICE But it is strange that we haven't heard any explosions. DOCTOR How can you say that, Monsieur Maurice? It is very far away. MAURICE I thought that such explosions would be heard a hundred kilometers away. My God, how strange it is! Our house and our garden will soon be flooded! I wonder how high the water will rise. Do you think it will reach up to the second story? DOCTOR Possibly. Well, how are things moving? CHAUFFEUR _Grumbling._ I am working. MAURICE Look, look! Mamma, see how the searchlights are working. They seem to be frightened. Father, do you see them? EMIL GRELIEU Jeanne, lift me a little. JEANNE My dear, I don't know whether I am allowed to do it. DOCTOR You may lift him a little, if it isn't very painful. The bandage is tight. JEANNE Do you feel any pain?