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Sudden there shot from the bastion a cubic acre of fire： it carried up a heavy mountain of red and black smoke that looked solid as marble。 There was a heavy； sullen； tremendous explosion that snuffed out the sound of the cannon； and paralyzed the French and Prussian gunners' hands； and checked the very beating of their hearts。 Thirty thousand pounds of gunpowder were in that awful explosion。 War itself held its breath； and both armies； like peaceable spectators； gazed wonder…struck； terror…struck。 Great hell seemed to burst through the earth's crust； and to be rushing at heaven。 Huge stones； cannons； corpses； and limbs of soldiers； were seen driven or falling through the smoke。 Some of these last came quite clear of the ruins； ay； into the French and Prussian lines； that even the veterans put their hands to their eyes。 Raynal felt something patter on him from the skyit was blooda comrade's perhaps。
The smoke cleared。 Where； a moment before； the great bastion stood and fought； was a monstrous pile of blackened； bloody stones and timbers； with dismounted cannon sticking up here and there。
And； rent and crushed to atoms beneath the smoking mass； lay the relics of the gallant brigade； and their victorious colors。
CHAPTER XXII。
A few wounded soldiers of the brigade lay still till dusk。 Then they crept back to the trenches。 These had all been struck down or disabled short of the bastion。 Of those that had taken the place no one came home。
Raynal； after the first stupefaction； pressed hard and even angrily for an immediate assault on the whole Prussian line。 Not they。 It was on paper that the assault should be at daybreak to…morrow。 Such leaders as they were cannot IMPROVISE。
Rage and grief in his heart； Raynal waited chafing in the trenches till five minutes past midnight。 He then became commander of the brigade； gave his orders； and took thirty men out to creep up to the wreck of the bastion； and find the late colonel's body。
Going for so pious a purpose； he was rewarded by an important discovery。 The whole Prussian lines had been abandoned since sunset； and； mounting cautiously on the ramparts； Raynal saw the town too was evacuated； and lights and other indications on a rising ground behind it convinced him that the Prussians were in full retreat； probably to effect that junction with other forces which the assault he had recommended would have rendered impossible。
They now lighted lanterns； and searched all over and round the bastion for the poor colonel； in the rear of the bastion they found many French soldiers； most of whom had died by the bayonet。 The Prussian dead had all been carried off。
Here they found the talkative Sergeant La Croix。 The poor fellow was silent enough now。 A terrible sabre…cut on the skull。 The colonel was not there。 Raynal groaned； and led the way on to the bastion。 The ruins still smoked。 Seven or eight bodies were discovered by an arm or a foot protruding through the masses of masonry。 Of these some were Prussians； a proof that some devoted hand had fired the train； and destroyed both friend and foe。
They found the tube of Long Tom sticking up； just as he had shown over the battlements that glorious day； with this exception； that a great piece was knocked off his lip； and the slice ended in a long； broad crack。
The soldiers looked at this。 〃That is our bullet's work；〃 said they。 Then one old veteran touched his cap； and told Raynal gravely； he knew where their beloved colonel was。 〃Dig here； to the bottom；〃 said he。 〃HE LIES BENEATH HIS WORK。〃
Improbable and superstitious as this was； the hearts of the soldiers assented to it。
Presently there was a joyful cry outside the bastion。 A rush was made thither。 But it proved to be only Dard； who had discovered that Sergeant La Croix's heart still beat。 They took him up carefully； and carried him gently into camp。 To Dard's delight the surgeon pronounced him curable。 For all that； he was three days insensible； and after that unfit for duty。 So they sent him home invalided； with a hundred francs out of the poor colonel's purse。
Raynal reported the evacuation of the place； and that Colonel Dujardin was buried under the bastion； and soon after rode out of the camp。
The words Camille had scratched with a pencil； and sent him from the edge of the grave； were few but striking。
〃A dead man takes you once more by the hand。 My last thought； thank God； is France。 For her sake and mine； Raynal。 GO FOR GENERAL BONAPARTE。 Tell him； from a dying soldier； the Rhine is a river to these generals； but to him a field of glory。 He will lay out our lives； not waste them。〃
There was nothing to hinder Raynal from carrying out this sacred request： for the 24th brigade had ceased to exist： already thinned by hard service； it was reduced to a file or two by the fatal bastion。 It was incorporated with the 12th； and Raynal rode heavy at heart to Paris； with a black scarf across his breast。
CHAPTER XXIII。
You see now into what a fatal entanglement two high…minded young ladies were led； step by step； through yielding to the natural foible of their sexthe desire to hide everything painful from those they love； even at the expense of truth。
A nice mess they made of it with their amiable dishonesty。 And pray take notice that after the first White Lie or two； circumstances overpowered them； and drove them on against their will。 It was no small part of all their misery that they longed to get back to truth and could not。
We shall see presently how far they succeeded in that pious object； for the sake of which they first entered on concealments。 But first a word is due about one of the victims of their amiable； self… sacrificing lubricity。 Edouard Riviere fell in one night； from happiness and confidence； such as till that night be had never enjoyed； to deep and hopeless misery。
He lost that which； to every heart capable of really loving； is the greatest earthly blessing； the woman he adored。 But worse than that； he lost those prime treasures of the masculine soul； belief in human goodness； and in female purity。 To him no more could there be in nature a candid eye； a virtuous ready…mantling cheek： for frailty and treachery had put on these signs of virtue and nobility。 Henceforth； let him live a hundred years； whom could he trust or believe in？
Here was a creature whose virtues seemed to make frailty impossible： treachery； doubly impossible： a creature whose very faultsfor faults she hadhad seemed as opposite to treachery as her very virtues were。 Yet she was all frailty and falsehood。
He passed in that one night of anguish from youth to age。 He went about his business like a leaden thing。 His food turned tasteless。 His life seemed ended。 Nothing appeared what it had been。 The very landscape seemed cut in stone； and he a stone in the middle of it； and his heart a stone in him。 At times； across that heavy heart came gushes of furious rage and bitter mortification； his heart was broken； and his faith was gone； for his vanity had been stabbed as fiercely as his love。 〃Georges Dandin！〃 he would cry； 〃curse her！ curse her！〃 But love and misery overpowered these hea