A hundred and one days after the first outrage, whilst six army corps with field artillery and siege artillery were marching, at night, into the poorest quarter of the city, Caroline and Clair, holding each other's hands, were watching from the roof a lofty house, the only one still left standing, but now surrounded by smoke and flame, joyous songs ascended from the street, where the crowd was dancing in delirium.
"To-morrow it will be ended," said the man, "and it will be better." The young woman, her hair loosened and her face shining with the reflection of the flames, gazed with a pious joy at the circle of fire that was growing closer around them.
"It will be better," said she also.
And throwing herself into the destroyer's arms she pressed a passionate kiss upon his lips.
S.4 The other towns of the federation also suffered from disturbances and outbreaks, and then order was restored.

Reforms were introduced into institutions and great changes took place in habits and customs, but the country never recovered the loss of its capital, and never regained its former prosperity.

Commerce and industry dwindled away, and civilization abandoned those countries which for so long it bad preferred to all others.

They became insalubrious and sterile; the territory that had supported so many millions of men became nothing more than a desert.

On the hill of Fort St.Michel wild horses cropped the coarse grass.
Days flowed by like water from the fountains, and the centuries passed like drops falling from the ends of stalactites.