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.