The Durham daily globe., 1894-01-13
TRANSLATED GLOBE
THE SIEGE OF BERLIN
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF ALPHoNsE DAUDET
BY WALTER A. MONTGOMERY, JR.


BILE! Every day, when l came | was
told Of a new feat of arms. Doctor, |
We have taken Mayence,' said the girl, |
coming to meet me, with a smile tha, |
was truly heartrending, and | heard |
through the door joyful voice, crying,
They are on the march! Within eight
| days, we shall enter Berlin
cat that very moment, the Prussians
were hardly eight days march from Paris
| We at first debated if il were not better
to take him to the country; but once
| outside Of the city, the state of France
would immediately tell him all, and !
found him still too feeble and prostrated
from his attack TO let him know the
truth. We decided, then, to stay.
The first day of the siege, went up
TO their apartmCnts-I remember-very
much dispirited, with that anguish of
heart which it gave US to see all the
gates Of Paris closed, the conflict beneath
the walls, our suburbs turned into from
tiers. l found the old gentleman seated
on his couch, in the highest spirits i'm
aginable.
We'll said he, !. believe the siege be
| gins to day.
II looked at him in amazement: What,
colonel, do you know
His granddaughter turned to me
oh, yes, doctor, it is the greatest piece
of news; the Siege of Berlin is begun,
| 81
composed and tranquil, that he could
have suspected nothing. The cannona
ding of the forts he could not hear un
happy Paris he could not see. The only
thing he could see was one face of the
Arch of Triumph, nothing else of the
outside world
"W hen l left that day, our military op-
erations were very much simplitied. As
for taking Berlin, that was only qucs-
ton of time. From time to time letter
imaginary Of coursc-from his son was
; read him. Imagine the despair Of The
poor child, without news from her father,
) knowing him to be prisoner, in destitu-
tOn, i'll perhaps, and she obliged TO make
/ him speak in these joyful letters, little
short perhaps, such as soldier would
? write while in the field. Several times
| the strength failed her, they went some
weeks without news But tie old gen
leman grew restless and di! not sleep
2 well Then soon came another letter
f from Germany, which she brought TO his
bedside to read, doing so cheerfullY, hold
= ing back her tears, all the while.
r "All this time the si&e-but alas no.
: that of Berlin-went on apace.-It was the
time Of great cold, of the bombardment
d of the epidemics, of extreme famine
But, thanks to our care, and to that un
t firing devotion which never ceased 10 be
- shown him, the calmness Of the old man
. was never for one instant disturbed. TIC
/, the last | was able TO have for him hi:
5 white bread and his fresh meat. There
S were none for anyone else besides him
: self, of course; and you can imagine
nothing more touching than these meal!
}, Of the grandfather, so innOcently selfisL
= the old man on his couch, cheerful anC
l smiling, his napkin unfolded and at biz
e chin, beside him his granddaughter,
little pale from privatiOn and cOnfine
s ment, guiding his hands, making hin
drink, helping him eat the delicacies pro
cured at so much pains aud expense
r. Then, strengthened by the meal, in The
# comfort of the warm room, while th'
n wind howled outside and the snow wat
e whirled against the window panes, th'
old soldier talked of his campaigns in th'
r, north, and told US, for the hunGrcdli
r time, of that awful retreat from Russia
/ when all they had TO ca; Sas frozen bEea'
IS and horse flesh Think Of that, dear
O Can YOU appreciate it, We had 10 ca
. horses"
It Yes, indeed, she could appreciate it
: for two months past she had eaten moth
o ing else From day to day, however, a
V his improvement continued, our tas'
X around the sick man became more an'
more difficult. That torpor o! all hi
r senses, of all his limbs, which had stoo'
Il Us in such good stead hitherto, began 1
is disappear. Two or three times alread
II the terrible broadsides of the Maillot gai
5 had made him start aud prick up bis ear
Y like a hound on the scent. We had L
: explain them by saying tha. they "ef
y, sa.utvs hred at the Hotel de;. lnTa.ldes j
r honor Of BazAiae's last victory under ia
wills Of Berlin.
: one day. when | C4Le as usual, IA
:. | ,-rI Y,e, sr,,- .ha wss in great distress
d II Is 10 morrow that they enter the city
IS she said. Was the door OF her grand
/ fathers room open: Now that com
J. 10 think about 1t, l remember that hi
] face. that evening, wore peculiar eI
e preston |; is probable that he ha
" beard Us Only We meant the Prussiant
s while be thought We were speaking g
Is France, and Of that triumphAl eaiT
10 which he had been waiting for go long