beaten.theyositrouableofan</p>
evening,apoable,</p>
explaihestrengthofthevariouspositions,andthe</p>
probabilityofthisorthatlitackbeiedbyoneor</p>
theotherar.</p>
dayafterdayeat</p>
last.thefirstbloruck,thefirstbloodshedthe</p>
frenchhadtakensaarbruck.</p>
”itistoolate,”captainbarclaysaid,asralphandpercyrushed</p>
in,tosaythattheneedupattheprefecture.”itis</p>
toolate,boys.theenglishpapers,ofthising,havebrought</p>
ustheneansaressingatleastseve</p>
huhousandn,alongthelinefroaarlouistospiers.it</p>
isevidentthattheyfellbackfroaarbruckhoutanyserious</p>
resistanahreedaystheywillbeinreadiness</p>
and,astheystfaroutnuerourn,youhatthe</p>
advasaarbruckbefollohatthe</p>
prussiaheoffensive.”</p>
”thendoyoureallythinkheresult,papa”</p>
”ithink,ralph,thatodonothaving,at</p>
oakentheoffehefirst.we</p>
shallhavetofallback,toabandonthelineoffrontierhis</p>
altogetherindefensibleandtoholdtheliheselle,and</p>
thespursofthevosges;anierongposition,andhwe</p>
oughttobeabletoholdagainstalltheeffortsofprussia.”</p>
theexultationofdijonshortlivedfor,oh,the</p>
boysthetohveryserious</p>
faces.</p>
”atter,ralph”</p>
”thereisaruriohattheswisspapershave</p>
publishedanatofthecaptureofhe</p>
prussians.agreatnyfrencharesaidtobeprisoners.doyou</p>
thinkitbetrue”</p>
”itisprobable,atanyrate,ralph.theswisspaperswould,of</p>
urse,gettheneany.we</p>
stnotbeginbybelievingallthatthetelegraays,because</p>
bothsidesarevictories;still,theabsolute</p>
captureofatoatteruponherebenodispute,</p>
andisthereforelikelyenoughtobetrue.weknoheprussians</p>
assedallalongthatlineand,asiexpected,theyhavetaken</p>
theoffeheiressinsodoing;</p>
asherpartykhersarepreparingtostrikea</p>
blohereforerate,andstrikehan</p>
forceatanygivenpoint.</p>
”noanshavedethefirstve,andshoheir</p>
iion,bothpartiesrateinthatdire.you</p>
see,fronseitherrchsouthupon</p>
strasburg,orsouthetzoancy;buttoreachthis</p>
latterplarossthespursofthevosges.the</p>
frenchay</p>
expectagreatbattle,inadayortwo.”</p>
theoosoonforterdijon,aswellas</p>
allfraoodaghastattheerroutof</p>
sdivision,afterthedesperatelyedbattleof</p>
h;alessdecided,thoughlessdisastrous,defeats</p>
ofthefrez.so</p>
littlensolationhefac</p>
...</p>