Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-11

lack of sufficient artillery nulllfied the adj
vantage gained at Villejuif. The sphere
of action had scarcely been enlarged at
all.
engagements under the walls were scarce
ly visible to the people-scarcely audible,
save for the thunder from the supporting
forts. A high rampant of dun-colored
mist stretched from the Montrouge fort
to Arcueil; beyond it, denser volumes of
smoke poured up into the sky from fFtay.
At moments the wind brought the crackle
of the fusillade through luls in the can
non iin-scarccly louder than the crackle
of bonfire. This was all that the Pari-
slams could see or hear from the southern
baStiOnS. Great crowds of women and
children watched the infantry passing
through the Porte Rouge; the cavalry
sang they rode between dense masses
of EXCEED people; the cannoneers swung
their thongs and chanted gayly:
Cal. Cal. serrons nos rangs,
EsperaEoe
De la France
Gal! Cal. serrons rangs,
En- avant, GaulOis ct Francs!
to the air of Cal, Cal! Marions Nousv'
and the franc-tireurs took up the song
savagely:
Quot! ces monuments cheris,
Historic
De notre gloire,
Secrouleraient debris,
Quot! les Prussiens Paris!
and the people roared back the chorus:
Gal! Gail serrons nos rangs!
Hide. standing at the door, heard them
singing at sunrise, caught the distant
CLINT of bayonets, saw the sun, white and
fierce. crinkling the polished surface of
helmet and breastplate.
At night, too, lingering on the steps, she
heard the movement and murmur Of
n arching masses; she saw the rockets
drifting through the sky, the JeweIed
string Of signal lamps swinging like q
necklace from the Porte Rouge battle
nents All day long the Rue d'Ypres
rang with the clang of bugles and the vi
brating crash of drums: all day long the
cannoneers of the Prophet drilled and
unanswered and played at firing. but the
night came and found the prophets lips
still sealed and the long bronze fetish mo-
tioness, reaching toward heaven in it's aw-
full attitude of prayer.
Since those early practice shots that had
shattered the window glass the Prophet
mad not spoken; yet all day long its gigan-
tic mass, thrust out over the ramparts
commands, sweeping the points Of the
compass With the smooth movement Of a
weather vane turning in a June breeze.
HARDWOOD, locking the dusty wooden
shutters for the last time, turned to watch
the Prophet as 1t swept to the west, STOP
ped. sank at the breech as a horse sinks
on his launches For the hundredth time
he thought they were going to fire. but the
gun captain took up his mechanical call:
Elevation at 800, at 1000, at 1900" and
the pointeur mounted the bastion and CALI
ed the class OF instruction to the breech
In the evening glow the ramparts burned
bright, the dust in the streets cleaned
like powdered rubies: long, mousy
shadows stretched across the GRASS soft
and velvety as the bloom on a purple plum
When Hardwood had finally locked the
shutters he climbed UP and unlocked the
sign of the shop Hide watched him with
out speaking, he lifted the signboard to his
shoulder and carried it into the darkened
shop. To Hide 1t was the last scene in the
prologue Of dramatic drama Of a new
life. just beginning. She went into the
shop and looked at the sign that was
standing upside down against the wall
1T is one Of my landmarks" she said
they are all going now, one by one. Yes
terday my Sainte-Hilde of Carhaix fell
and broke on the tiled floor, and / shall
miss the birds. too She added hastily:
Il am glad that they flew away; you must
not think regret anything"
Hardwood. standing close beside her. said
You regret nothing, HildeT
After long while she answered, Moth
ing-and your
hat have / 10 regret?" he said In an
altered voice. unconscious of the axiom and
its trony-uncoIscious that he stood th.re
the mouthptece of his sex, yOicing the dog
mas Of an imbecile civilization She berIt
her head Her white face rested ON his
shoulder. All the million questions that stir
and nutter In q love-wrung heart awaken
ed. treinbled on her lips, all that she would
know. all that she should know, ali that Che