The employees, calm but weary-looking, were going from side to side, giving explanations about mountains of all sorts of freight and arranging them for transport.

In the convoy in which Desnoyers was placed the Territorials were sleeping, accustomed to the monotony of acting as guard.

Those in charge of the horses had opened the sliding doors, seating themselves on the floor with their legs hanging over the edge.

The train went very slowly during the night, across shadowy fields, stopping here and there before red lanterns and announcing its presence by prolonged whistling.
In some stations appeared young girls clad in white with cockades and pennants on their breasts.

Day and night they were there, in relays, so that no train should pass through without a visit.