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best to hide such weapons as they had and any provisions that still
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remained to them； and yield up themselves and their homes with humble
grace to the dire foe。 〃If we do otherwise；〃 they said； 〃the soldiers will
surely slay us； and what can a miserable little hamlet like this achieve
against cannon and steel and fire？〃
Bernadou alone raised his voice in opposition。 His eye kindled； his
cheek flushed； his words for once sprang from his lips like fire。 〃What！〃
he said to them； 〃shall we yield up our homes and our wives and our
infants without a single blow？ Shall we be so vile as to truckle to the
enemies of France and show that we can fear them？ It were a shame； a
foul shame； we were not worthy of the name of men。 Let us prove to them
that there are people in France who are not afraid to die。 Let us hold our
own so long as we can。 Our muskets are good； our walls strong； our woods
in this weather morasses that will suck in and swallow them if only we
have tact to drive them there。 Let us do what we can。 The camp of the
francs…tireurs is but three leagues form us。 They will be certain to come to
our aid。 At any rate； let us die bravely。 We can do little； that may be； but if
every man in France does that little that he can； that little will be great
enough to drive the invaders off the soil。〃 Mathurin and the others
screamed at him and hooted。 〃You are a fool！〃 they shouted。 〃You will be
the undoing of us all。 Do you not know that one shot fired； nay； only one
musket found； and the enemy puts a torch to the whole place？〃
〃I know；〃 said Bernadou； with a dark radiance in his azure eyes。 〃But
then it is a choice between disgrace and the flames； let us only take heed
to be clear of the firstthe last must rage as God wills。〃
But they screamed and mouthed and hissed at him： 〃Oh yes！ fine talk；
fine talk！ See your own roof in flames if you will； you shall not ruin ours。
Do what you will with your own neck； keep it erect or hang by it； as you
choose。 But you have no right to give your neighbours over to death；
whether they will or no。〃
He strove； he pleaded； he conjured； he struggled with them half the
night； with the salt tears running down his cheeks； and all his gentle blood
burning with righteous wrath and loathing shame； stirred for the first time
in all his life to a rude； simple； passionate eloquence。 But they were not
persuaded。 Their few gold pieces hidden in the rafters； their few feeble
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sheep starving in the folds； their own miserable lives； all hungry； woe…
begone； and spent in daily terrorsthese were still dear to them； and they
would not imperil them。 They called him a madman； they denounced him
as one who would be their murderer； they threw themselves on him and
demanded his musket； to bury it with the rest under the altar in the old
chapel on the hill。
Bernadou's eyes flashed fire； his breast heaved； his nerves quivered； he
shook them off and strode a step forward。 〃As you live；〃 he muttered； 〃I
have a mind to fire on you； rather than let you live to shame yourselves
and me！〃
Reine Allix； who stood by him silent all the while； laid her hand on his
shoulder。 〃My boy；〃 she said in his ear； 〃you are right； and they are wrong。
Yet let not dissension between brethren open the door for the enemy to
enter thereby into your homes。 Do what you will with your own life；
Bernadou；it is yours；but leave them to do as they will with theirs。 You
cannot make sheep into lions； and let not the first blood shed here be a
brother's。〃
Bernadou's head dropped on his breast。 〃Do as you will；〃 he muttered
to his neighbours。 They took his musket from him； and in the darkness of
the night stole silently up the wooded chapel hill and buried it； with all
their other arms； under the altar where the white Christ hung。 〃We are safe
now；〃 said Mathurin； the miller； to the patriots of the tavern。 〃Had that
madman had his way； he had destroyed us all。〃
Reine Allix softly led her grandson across his own threshold； and drew
his head down to hers； and kissed him between the eyes。 〃You did what
you could； Bernadou；〃 she said to him； 〃let the rest come as it will。〃
Then she turned from him； and flung her cloak over her head； and sank
down； weeping bitterly； for she had lived through ninety…three years only
to see this agony at the last。
Bernadou； now that all means of defence was gone from him； and the
only thing left to him to deal with was his own life； had become quiet and
silent and passionless； as was his habit。 He would have fought like a
mastiff for his home； but this they had forbidden him to do； and he was
passive and without hope。 He shut to his door； and sat down with his hand
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in that of Reine Allix and his arm around his wife。 〃There is nothing to do
but to wait；〃 he said； sadly。 The day seemed very long in coming。
The firing ceased for a while； then its roll commenced afresh； and
grew nearer to the village。 Then again all was still。
At noon a shepherd staggered into the place； pale； bleeding； bruised；
covered with mire。 The Prussians； he told them； had forced him to be their
guide； had knotted him tight to a trooper's saddle； and had dragged him
with them until he was half dead with fatigue and pain。 At night he had
broken from them and had fled。 They were close at hand； he said； and had
burned the town from end to end because a man had fired at them from a
housetop。 That was all he knew。 Bernadou； who had gone out to hear his
news； returned into the house and sat down and hid his face within his
hands。 〃If I resist you are all lost；〃 he muttered。 〃And yet to yield like a
cur！〃 It was a piteous question； whether to follow the instinct in him and
see his birthplace in flames and his family slaughtered for his act； or to
crush out the manhood in him and live； loathing himself as a coward for
evermore。
Reine Allix looked at him； and laid her hand on his bowed head； and
her voice was strong and tender as music： 〃Fret not thyself； my beloved。
When the moment comes； then do as thine own heart and the whisper of
God in it bid thee。〃
A great sob answered her； it was the first since his earliest infancy that
she had ever heard from Bernadou。
It grew dark。 The autumn day died。 The sullen clouds dropped
scattered rain。 The red leaves were blown in millions by the wind。 The
little houses on either side the road were dark； for the dwellers in them
dared not show any light that might be a star to allure to them the footsteps
of their foes。 Bernadou sat with his arms on the table； and his head resting
on them。 Margot nursed her son。 Reine Allix prayed。
Suddenly in the street without there was the sound of many feet of
horses and of men； the shouting of angry voices； the splashing of quick
steps in the watery ways； the screams of women； the flash of steel through
the gloom。 Bernadou sprang to his feet； his face pale； his blue eyes dark as
night。 〃They are come！〃 he said； under his breath。 It was not fear that he
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felt； nor horror； it was rather a passion of love for his birthplace and his
nationa passion of longing to struggle and to die for both。 And he had no
weapon！
He drew his house…door open with a steady hand； and stood on his
own threshold and faced these his enemies。 The street was full of them；
some mounted； some on foot； crowds of them swarmed in the woods and
on the roads。 They had settled on the village as vultures on a dead lamb's
body。 It was a little； lowly place； it might well have been left in peace。 It
had had no more share in the war than a child still unborn；