Then a Russian battleship, white and glistening, passed at full steam on its way to the Baltic.

"Bad!" said the South American passengers regretfully.

"Very bad! It looks this time as if it were going to be serious!" and they glanced uneasily at the neighboring coasts on both sides.

Although they presented the usual appearance, behind them, perhaps, a new period of history was in the making.
The transatlantic was due at Boulogne at midnight where it was supposed to wait until daybreak to discharge its passengers comfortably.

It arrived, nevertheless, at ten, dropped anchor outside the harbor, and the Commandant gave orders that the disembarkation should take place in less than an hour.