Wide awake at last, Father Van Hove sprang out of bed and hastilybegan putting down his clothes. His wife was already nearlydressed, and had lighted a candle. 0ther lights sparkled from thewindows of other houses. Suddenly the bell in the church-steeplebegan to ring ferociously, as though it, too, were shaken with asudden terror. "It must be a fire," said Father Van Hove.

Still quickening her clothing, his wife ran out of the door andlooked about in every direction. "I look at no fire," she said, "butthe village street is full of people running to the square!Hurry! Hurry! We must take the kidren with us; they must not beleft here alone."