The sound of the cannon was distant but incessant, and strangely, as it seemed to me, we were alone.

Once and again soldiers passed us, sometimes wagons with kitchens or provisions met us on the road, sometimes groups of men were waiting by the roadside, once we saw them setting up telegraph wires, once a desolate band of Austrian prisoners crossed our path, twice wagons with wounded rumbled along--but for the most part we were alone.

We were out of the main track of the battle.

It was as though the Forest had arranged this that it might the more impress us.

Our road, although it was the high road, was rough and uneven and we advanced slowly: with every step that the horses took I was the more conscious of a sinister and malign influence.