'Do not fret,' she said gently.
'Five days - perhaps a week, and I will be home again.
Be happy for me, Maman.'
The old woman stood trembling, suddenly aged.
'Prenez bien garde,' she said tremulously.
'These Germans - they are wicked, cruel people.'
The girl said gently: 'Be tranquil.
I shall come to no harm.'
She turned to Howard.
'En route, donc, Monsieur Howard,' she said.
'It is time for us to go.'
They left the apartment and started down the street, Howard pushing the loaded pram and Nicole shepherding the children.
She had produced a rather shabby black Homburg hat for the old man, and this, with his grey suit and brown canvas shoes, made hun look very French.
They went slowly for the sake of the children; the girl strolled beside him with a shawl over her shoulders.
Presently she said:
'Give me the pram, monsieur.
That is more fitting for a woman to push, in the class that we represent.'
He surrendered it to her; they must play up to their disguise.
'When we come to the station,' she said, 'say nothing at all. I will do all the talking.
Do you think you could behave as a much older man?
As one who could hardly talk at all?'
He said: 'I would do my best.
You want me to behave as a very old man indeed.'
She nodded.
'We have come from Arras,' she said.
'You are my uncle, you understand?
Our house in Arras was destroyed by the British.
You have a brother, my other uncle, who lives in Landerneau.'
'Landerneau,' he said.
'Where is that, mademoiselle?'
She said: 'It is a little country town twenty kilometres this side of Brest, monsieur.
If we can get there we can then walk to the coast.
And it is inland, forty kilometres from the sea.
I think they may allow us to go there, when it would be impossible for us to travel directly to the coast.'
They approached the station.
'Stay with the children,' she said quietly.
'If anyone asks you anything, be very stupid.'
The approach to the station was crowded with German transport lorries; German officers and soldiers thronged around.
It was clear that a considerable detachment of troops had just arrived by train; apart from them the station was crowded with refugees.
Nicole pushed the pram through into the booking-hall, followed by Howard and the children.
The old man, mindful of his part, walked with a shambling tread; his mouth hung open a little, and his head shook rhythmically.
Nicole shot a glance at him.
'It is good, that,' she said.
'Be careful you do not forget your role.'
She left the pram with him and pressed forward to the booking-office.
A German Feldwebel, smart and efficient in his grey-green uniform, stopped her and asked a question.
Howard, peering through the throng with sagging head and half-closed eyes, saw her launch out into a long, rambling peasant explanation.
She motioned towards him and the children.
The Feldwebel glanced over them, shabby and inoffensive, 172 their only luggage in an ancient pram.
Then he cut short the torrent of her talk and motioned her to the booking-office.