Thus they came upon Fanny, in the hollow torn by the lamps out of an
obscurity which whirled like a dense pillar above her, seated on her
mudguard, blanched and still as an image, the iron bar for a weapon in
her right hand, the torch ready as a signal in her left.
"Julien!"
"Well, yes, my poor child!" And she saw the man behind him, and laughed.
"Help me down. Within and without I am set in plaster."
"You look like a poor, weather-chipped goddess, or an old stone pillar
with a face."
"Be careful, that leg will not stand.... Oh, look, look how the snow
clings. It's frozen on my lap."
"We must be quick. Everything must be quickly done, or we shall all stay
here."
"Oh, I don't care about that now!"
"What have you got in your hand? Give it to me."
"That's a weapon. I almost needed it. Where is the lorry?"
"The garage was empty. The _brigadier_ was at Thionville. The lorry had
a spring broken."
"And they told you?"
"I did not call at the 'C.R.A.' office till late in the day, or you
would have been fetched long ago. Come along! Have you got your things
together? We must take them back in the other car. And the magneto too."
"We're to leave the car after all my guarding care?"
"No; here's Pichot volunteered to take your place."
"Has he got food with him and rugs. My rug has gone..
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