The Debacle - Emile Zola [174]
‘Well?’ asked Delaherche.
‘Well, they don’t even know whether the chemists have still got any!’
But the textile manufacturer was not interested in chloroform and he went on:
‘Never mind that… Is it over? Have they signed with the Prussians?’
The major waved his arms violently.
‘Nothing settled yet. Wimpffen has just come back… It seems that those sods are making demands they should get a thick ear for… Oh well, let’s all start again and all peg out, it’d be better that way!’
This made Delaherche go very pale.
‘But is what you are saying quite certain?’
‘I had it from those gentry in the town council who are having a permanent session… An officer had come in from the Sub-Prefecture and told them all about it.’
He went into details. The interview between General de Wimpffen and General von Moltke and Bismarck had taken place at the Château de Bellevue, near Donchery. He was a terror, that von Moltke, cold and hard, with the pasty face of a mathematical chemist who won battles in his study by algebra! He at once made it clear that he knew all about the desperate plight of the French army: no food, no ammunition, demoralization and disorder, the absolute impossibility of breaking the iron ring tightly closed round it, while the German armies occupied the strongest possible positions and could burn the town down in two hours. He coldly dictated his wishes: the whole French army to be taken prisoner with its arms and baggage. Bismarck merely backed him up, looking like an amiable bloodhound. Thereupon General de Wimpffen had worn himself out trying to resist these conditions, the harshest ever imposed upon a defeated army. He talked of its ill-luck, the heroism of the soldiers, the danger of pushing a proud people too far, and for three hours he had threatened, begged, talked with desperate and superb eloquence, asking them to intern the vanquished army in Central France or even in Algeria, and the sole concession obtained in the end was that officers who would bind themselves in writing and on their honour not to fight again would be allowed to go home. Anyhow, the armistice was to be extended until the following morning at ten. If by then the conditions were not accepted, the Prussian batteries would open fire again and the town would be destroyed.
‘It’s ridiculous!’ exclaimed Delaherche. ‘You don’t burn down a town that’s done nothing to deserve it!’
The major put the finishing touch to his panic when he added that some officers he had seen at the Hôtel de l’Europe were talking of a mass break-out before daybreak. Since the German demands had become known emotion had risen to fever-pitch, and the most extravagant projects were being put forward. Even the idea that it would not be honest to take advantage of the darkness and violate the truce stopped nobody, and the most crazy plans were bandied about – resumption of the march on Carignan right through the Bavarians, under cover of darkness, the plateau of Illy recaptured by surprise, the Mézières road cleared, or again an irrestible dash to leap with one bound into Belgium. Others, it was true, said nothing, for they were conscious of the inevitability of the disaster and, with a happy cry of relief, would have accepted anything, signed anything so as to be done with it. ‘Good night,’ concluded Bouroche. ‘I’m going to try and get a couple of hours’ sleep. I need it badly.’
Left on his own, Delaherche was outraged. What, were they really going to start fighting again and burn Sedan down? It was becoming inevitable, and this appalling thing would certainly come about as soon as the sun was sufficiently high above the hills to give enough light for the horrible massacre. Once again he automatically climbed the steep stairs to the attics and found himself among the
chimneys on the narrow ledge overlooking the town. But at that hour up there he was in total darkness, in an endless rolling sea of black waves and at first he could not make out anything whatever. The factory buildings below him were the first things to emerge in vague masses he could recognize: