"It is very difficult for me to write to you, Paul. The sentry on duty opens the door and watches my every movement. They did not search me, so I was able to keep the leaves of my diary; and I write to you hurriedly, by scraps at a time, in a dark corner. . . . "My diary! Shall you find it, Paul? Will you know all that has happened and what has become of me? If only they don't take it from me! . . . "They have brought me bread and water! I am still separated from Rosalie and Jérôme. They have not given them anything to eat. "_Two o'clock._ "Rosalie has managed to get rid of her gag. She is now speaking to me in an undertone through the wall. She heard what the men who are guarding us said and she tells me that Prince Conrad left last night for Corvigny; that the French are approaching and that the soldiers here are very uneasy. Are they going to defend themselves, or will they fall back towards the frontier? . . . It was Major Hermann who prevented our escape. Rosalie says that we are done for. . . . "_Half-past two._ "Rosalie and I had to stop speaking. I have just asked her what she meant, why we should be done for. She maintains that Major Hermann is a devil: "'Yes, devil,' she repeated. 'And, as he has special reasons for acting against you. . . .' "'What reasons, Rosalie?' "'I will explain later. But you may be sure that if Prince Conrad does not come back from Corvigny in time to save us, Major Hermann will seize the opportunity to have all three of us shot. . . .'" Paul positively roared with rage when he saw the dreadful word set down in his poor Élisabeth's hand. It was on one of the last pages. After that there were only a few sentences written at random, across the paper, obviously in the dark, sentences that seemed breathless as the voice of one dying: "The tocsin! . . . The wind carries the sound from Corvigny. . . . What can it mean? . . . The French troops? . . . Paul, Paul, perhaps you are with them! . . . "Two soldiers came in, laughing: "'Lady's _kaput_! . . . All three _kaput_! . . . Major Hermann said so: they're _kaput_!' "I am alone again. . . . We are going to die. . . . But Rosalie wants to talk to me and daren't. . . . "_Five o'clock._ "The French artillery. . . . Shells bursting round the château. . . . Oh, if one of them could hit me! . . . I hear Rosalie's voice. . . . What has she to tell me? What secret has she discovered?