There were the sheltered streets full of shops, friendly cafes, houses with beds and lamps and well-covered tables--but the soldiers stood outside on the cold hillside, chilled to the bone by the north wind, so tired that they could hardly stand, and often sinking down in the snow, where they lay benumbed, without energy to rouse themselves.

They had gone for twenty-four hours without food, and had only some black bread remaining for the evening, worth a kingdom in price.

Between their misery and the abundance before their eyes lay the enemy's army, and this army they must conquer, if they would sit at those tables and lie in the soft beds.

The general wanted to take Dijon in order to remove a danger menacing to South Germany, and to secure the advance of the German army toward Paris and Belfort--the soldiers had the same desire, but their longing for Dijon was for comfort, satisfaction of hunger, and rest.
The German battalion kept on pressing forward.

This mistake was hardly the fault of the officers, who on this occasion strove to keep the men back rather than encourage them to advance.