I was no longer very rich, but I offered twenty francs to one of the men if he would see to our six bags. We were to send for my trunk and those belonging to my family later on.

There was not a single carriage outside the station. What was to be done? I was then living at No. 4 Rue de Rome, and this was not far away, but my mother scarcely ever walked, for she was delicate and had a weak heart. The children, too, were very, very tired. Their eyes were puffed up and scarcely open, and their little limbs benumbed by the cold and the sitting still. I began to get desperate, but a milk cart was just passing by, and I sent the porter to hail it. I offered twenty francs if the man would drive my mother and the two children to 4 Rue de Rome.

“And you, too, if you like, young lady,” said the milkman. “You are thinner than a grasshopper, you won’t make it any heavier.” I did not want inviting twice, although rather annoyed by the man’s speech.

When once my mother was installed, in spite of her hesitation, by the side of the milkman, and the children and I were in among the full and empty milk pails, I said to the man: “Would it be all the same to you to come back and fetch the others?” I pointed to the remaining group, and added: “You shall have twenty francs more.”

“Right you are!” said the worthy fellow. “A good day’s work! Don’t you tire your legs, you others. I’ll be back for you directly!”

He then whipped up his horse and took us off at a wild rate. The children rolled about and I held on. My mother set her teeth and did not utter a word, but from under her long lashes she glanced at me with a displeased look.

On arriving at my door the milkman drew up his horse so short that I thought my mother would fall out on to the animal’s back. We had arrived, though, and we got out. The cart started off again at full speed. My mother would not speak to me for about an hour. Poor, pretty mother, it was not my fault after all.

CHAPTER XV
THE COMMUNE AND VICTOR HUGO

I had gone away from Paris eleven days before, and had then left a sad city. The sadness had been painful, the result of a great misfortune which had been unexpected. No one had dared to look up, fearing to be blown upon by the same wind which was blowing the German flag floating over yonder beyond the Arc de Triomphe.