On the 7th and 8th of September, the diminution2 of the forces besieging3 Antwerp was known at Headquarters and a sortie, with all the troops of the fighting army, was decided4 upon, either to inflict5 a defeat on the enemy, or to oblige the Germans to bring back, towards Antwerp, some of the forces now on the way to France. The sortie commenced on the 9th of September and began favourably7.
On the 9th, the passages of the Démer and of the Dyle were conquered and Aerschot was taken. On the 10th, a platoon of the 2nd Mounted Chasseurs entered Louvain, but the 2nd Division was stopped at Wygmael and at Putkapel. The enemy brought back the 6th Division of Reservists who were then marching to France. On the 11th, the 3rd Division succeeded in an offensive on Over de Vaart and the 6th Division reached the railway from Malines to Louvain. On the 12th, it was the enemy's turn to take the offensive and drive back the 2nd Division at Rotselaer and Wesemael. This retreat drew with it the 6th Division and then the 3rd Division, and on the 13th the army fell back towards the retrenched8 camp. The chief object was nevertheless attained9. The adversary10 had been obliged, not only to bring back to the Belgian front the 6th Division of the 3rd Corps11, but also to delay the march of the 9th Corps towards France for two days, at the precise moment when the German armies, in effecting their retreat on the Marne, had the most urgent need of reinforcements.
This is not an account of a particularly glorious feat6 of arms, but merely a statement of impressions during[Pg 123] a combat which, although it was less murderous than any other in which I took part, left the most vivid impression on my mind.
During the second sortie from Antwerp, the 27th Regiment, which landed at Heyst-op-den-Berg during the night of the 8th and 9th of September, received as its first objective: Aerschot. All along our road we could see the ruins of the dwellings12 which had been destroyed by fire by the Germans. These ruins stood out clearly and lamentably13 against the blue sky. From the débris, which were still smoking, a special, bitter odour emanated14, which choked and suffocated15 us, giving us an indescribable sensation. We did not dare stir the ashes, for fear of exposing to view the calcinated remains16 of the martyrs17 who had been burned, with all they possessed18, on the bit of land where they had been born, and where they had grown up, struggled, suffered, and where, with visions of horror before their eyes, they had died.
We approached the town and the Boches had not yet shown any signs of life. Suddenly, my attention was drawn19 to a forage20 cap, the red band of which stood out in contrast against the green of the meadow. I rushed forward and then stood still, deeply moved. The cap was attached to a little cross, made of branches, planted on a small mound21. This first vision of the anonymous22 grave of a brave man, who had died for the sake of his country, gave me a pang23 at my heart. Alas24, how many such tombs I have seen since then! I stood there thinking, and my thoughts went from the hero, who had fallen in the midst of life and light, to the poor old parents who were trembling for their son, to the poor parents who would never know where their lad had been buried.
[Pg 124]
We entered the town after the vanguard, which did not meet with any serious resistance. There were no longer ruins just here and there, but heaps and heaps of them everywhere. Nothing had escaped the destructive rage of the invader25. Everything which had not been consumed by the flames had been saccaged. The shop windows had been cleared, furniture destroyed, glasses smashed, clothes thrown about in lamentable26 heaps. It must have taken whole days to destroy all these things, with kicks of heavy boots and with the butt27 end of guns. And what amazed us was the number of empty bottles strewing28 the ground. There must have been "colossal29" drinking bouts30. Perhaps the soldiers, in order to carry out their cruel task, had lacked courage. Perhaps at the bottom of their hearts, some sentiments of honour and of probity31 had been stirred, and they had had to stifle32 all this by drinking until they had lost their reason.
Gradually, a little curiosity mingled33 with our emotion. Silently, and with heavy hearts, we visited these ruins, exhaustless and glorious relics34 of patriotic35 love and virtue36. Everything here, from the tombs down to the very stones, proved that Belgians prefer death to cowardly submission37, prefer to suffer rather than to betray their word of honour. An atmosphere of august sacrifice sanctified this spot.
Suddenly, I uttered a cry. Over yonder, on the front of a convent, a big German flag was floating insolently38 in the wind. I rushed forward, but the soldiers had already preceded me, and the Colonel stamped on the accursed emblem39. Our eyes shone with joy and hope. This sight was a symbol to us. We saw in it German power laid low, Right triumphant,[Pg 125] Belgium delivered, and we were filled with absolute confidence....
Piff! paff! There was fighting going on over yonder and these detonations40 exasperated41 us. We rushed forward spontaneously in a wild, disorderly chase, crying out: "Long live the King!"
The Boches occupied the heights at the other side of the town. They greeted our vanguard with a violent firing, but fortunately it was badly aimed. Our Battalion42 rushed to the rescue. Just as we were turning the corner of a street and entering the zone swept by the firing, the first ranks hesitated for an instant. Then, and never shall I forget that sight, the standard-bearer rushed forward, holding our flag high with its three colours unfurled.
Electrified43, the men rushed like a whirlwind, the clarions sounded the assault, and a confused clamour rang out: "Hurrah44, Hurrah for Belgium!" The irresistible45 stream of our troopers gained the heights. The men were mad with fury, for the sight of the German atrocities46 had exasperated them. They hurried on, their hearts overflowing47 with rage.
"No prisoners! No quarter! Death to the bandits!"
"They shall be cared for, their wounded!" I heard someone say.
I turned round and saw our doctor. The expression of his eyes scared me. A veritable flame of hatred49 had been lighted in all hearts.
"Yes, we are ready for anything. No pity! No conventions. So much the worse for them. They have brought it on themselves! It is their punishment!"
An immense joy took possession of us and transported us, the joy of the idea of snatching from the invader a shred50 of our national territory.
A pitiful troop of German prisoners was halting on the road. The sun was scorching51. Our men, streaming with perspiration52, grouped themselves round them, looking at them curiously53. What did I now see, though? Was it possible? The same soldiers who had been intoxicated54 with the madness of carnage, with vengeance55 and hate, were now looking after these captives. One offered them cigarettes, another one coffee from his flask56. Our "ferocious57" doctor was busy lavishing58 his care on them, and dressing59 their wounds down to the very least scratch.
Suddenly calm again, on seeing the suffering of others, we were once more kind-hearted, simple Belgians, hospitable60 and compassionate61, according to the traditions of our race. Moved by pity, we were doing our best to relieve the sufferings of our wounded enemies. I looked on at this poignant62 scene thoughtfully, and I was seized with deep emotion. My eyes were dim with tears and my heart swelled63 with joy, with unutterable pride, the joy and the pride of being a Belgian.
Hotel Dieu, Albert I. Hospital. 9. 11. 15.
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1
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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2
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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3
besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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4
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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5
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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6
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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7
favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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8
retrenched
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| v.紧缩开支( retrench的过去式和过去分词 )；削减（费用）；节省 | |
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9
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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10
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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11
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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12
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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13
lamentably
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| adv.哀伤地，拙劣地 | |
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14
emanated
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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15
suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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16
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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18
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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24
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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25
invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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26
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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27
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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28
strewing
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| v.撒在…上( strew的现在分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满 | |
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29
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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30
bouts
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| n.拳击（或摔跤）比赛( bout的名词复数 )；一段（工作）；（尤指坏事的）一通；（疾病的）发作 | |
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probity
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| n.刚直；廉洁，正直 | |
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32
stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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33
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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34
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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35
patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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36
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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37
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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38
insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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39
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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40
detonations
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| n.爆炸 （声）( detonation的名词复数 ) | |
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41
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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42
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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43
electrified
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| v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋 | |
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44
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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45
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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46
atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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47
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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48
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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49
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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50
shred
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| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
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51
scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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52
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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53
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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54
intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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55
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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56
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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57
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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58
lavishing
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的现在分词 ) | |
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59
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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60
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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61
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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62
poignant
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| adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的 | |
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63
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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