A task which was quite new to me. I have said how, at our departure, I could not conceive myself taking an interest in these dolts2. Yes! But had I not felt them quiver as they marched at my side through the horror of the fire? The praise surprised on their lips that evening had made my heart beat—reciprocal esteem—and I had dreamt of something more.
During the long parches3 I took steps to get into touch with them, to overcome their shyness, the remains4 of their distrust. I was not afraid of showing a few of them what was in my heart. One of these was Icard, the miller5, a steady, quiet fellow, whose good sense had struck me on several occasions. Under the present circumstances, the footing we were usually on, I said, was not enough. Complete harmony of mind and heart between us all seemed to me necessary for our common safety.
[Pg 350]
I smiled.
"Fonder than you were at the beginning?"
"Yes, then we weren't exactly struck on you."
I think he was speaking at his comrades. Their instinct must have made them realise my friendly intentions. They quickly became more familiar and expansive. The last barrier had fallen.
I again appreciated Guillaumin's perspicuity7. According to him these people dreaded8 betraying whatever tenderness and delicacy9 was aroused in them, by putting it into words. They were shy of talking about themselves, and expanded more willingly on a thousand and one abstract subjects. I had resigned myself to listening to an endless flow of words and pointless tales. They were flattered by my attention, and I was surprised to find them ten times less childish and narrow in their talk than many drawing-room conversationalists. It was the taste, innate10 in the French, for discussion and reasoning. Penetration11 and logic12 are ordinary qualities in them. Icard laid before me his views on the questions which impassioned him: agricultural economy, modern implements13, the introduction of new crops, the causes and consequences of the population of the country districts, the remedies to be applied14 to it—all problems of vital importance to the nation. I who claimed to be so eclectic had to blush for myself because I had never considered them.
With him, and with some of the others, I took a delight in broaching15 the subject of socialistic doctrines16. We were at one in our premises17. Starting from that point I used to get them to talk, curious to see how much electioneering patter they had retained. More than mere18 words, in any case! Some of them were[Pg 351] imbued19 with the party point of view. Each of them, for that matter, followed wherever his temperament20 led him. Prunelle, the jeweller, favoured the view that the state should interfere21 as little as possible with individual enterprise. Icard, for his part, was a staunch advocate of a sort of dominant22 collectivism: of the most perfect organisation23 of society, down to the very smallest details, by its chosen representatives. He said to me:
"Look at the Bosches. They have it in a sense. That's what constitutes their strength. It's sad to think the poor brutes24 have to work for the King of Prussia!"
I tried, too, to probe their inmost convictions. Were they really keen about this struggle which would determine the future of their race?
It did not take long to convince me of it. Their patriotism26 was not an abstract quality: it was more than that—a tradition, almost a physical need. A free France was just as vital to them as eating or breathing. I had the opportunity of admiring the moral unity27 accomplished28 by the work of centuries of history. The Prussians had done these Beaucerons a personal injury in violating the distant Eastern frontier. No peace for them before these brigands29 had been sent back to where they came from! The question of Alsace-Lorraine affected30 them in a lesser31 degree. It was a long way off—almost an accomplished fact! But nevertheless it must be won back, if only as a matter of personal pride, for "swank"!
Their memory of the other war had not been at all obliterated32, as I should have expected it to be. Most of them had heard from their parents what vexations and devastations their province had had to endure[Pg 352] in those bygone days. They had before their eyes the ravages33 of the present war. Hang it all! If only the Bosches did not advance too far! We mustn't be beaten again.
And then as Corporal Bouguet very neatly34 expressed it, considering how long we had been pestered35 by having to put in two or three years' military service, we should be dolts not to give them a good thrashing once and for all, for the sake of gaining a quiet life!
Their spirit in fact was marvellous. It must not be forgotten that we were still retreating! There was never a sign of real discouragement. It was sometimes upsetting, certainly, to leave superb positions without firing a single shot. But if it must be! If, as was still rumoured36, it was for tactical reasons to lead the enemy into a trap! The fantastic exploits attributed to the artillery37 still continued to fire our imagination. Once or twice we met convoys38 of prisoners. Halloa! Things must be on the mend! And then, why attempt to give any explanation? Things went well, because they went well. Even in the first platoon there was never any serious trouble, the bad seed did not bear. There was nothing worse than a little slackness, rather less energy.
There was plenty of marching. Yes, but nothing dismal39 about it most of the time, especially when we thought we were getting near to the enemy when there would be a volley of witticisms40:
"Halloa! Trichet!" Guillaumin exclaimed. "I suppose you think Prunelle's sight too good, and that's why you're sticking your gun into his eye?"
They laughed; the jeweller was short-sighted and wore glasses.
[Pg 353]
The men were generally allowed to sing. When I saw they were beginning to flag, I shouted:
"Strike up, Bouguet! Let's have one of your songs."
"Which shall it be, Sergeant?"
The corporal who was the songster of the platoon turned to me gaily41. We were on excellent terms now.
Voices were raised demanding:
"The Miller's Wife!"
The corporal struck up.
"Miller, miller, she betrays you!..."
They exploded, nudging each other, and nodding in Icard's direction who was the first to appreciate the joke.
Or else it was the Crocodiles, doggerel42 brought into fashion by Lamalou, and which they never tired of:
A crocodile—on going off to war
Said "Good-bye, Kids"—but not for evermore.
His great tail—looking very elegant
He started off—to fight the elephant!...
Then the refrain!
Everyone joined in the chorus.
Oh the cro-cro-cro-, the cro-cro-cro-, the cro-co-di-iles,
All along the Nile! They have vanished, we'll say no more!
Childish songs, with a good swing to them. Fatigue43 was forgotten. Mile followed mile in the heat and dust. A refrain of that kind swept right along the column. While we drew breath, snatches of couplets reached us from the distance.
[Pg 354]
"Like nothin' on earth, those caterwaulers!" Judsi exclaimed.
Oh, that Judsi! What a type he was! The incarnation, the flower of the race. In each platoon of France's army, from end to end of the campaign, I bet there was a Judsi. A street-urchin, from Paris or elsewhere.... An apache yesterday, perhaps—it was quite possible—but ennobled to-day by circumstances!
He was an admirable source of good-humour. Made to cheer up the others. He chatted without ceasing for hours and hours at a time, accumulating eccentricities44 of mimicry45 and expression. Nothing pleased him so much as to see that we were listening. That was the time when we played up hardest. I swear that by the unexpectedness of his sallies and the inflections of his hoarse46 voice, he often attained47 a pitch of drollery48 which was quite priceless. His slightest absurdities49 gave rise to fits of hilarious50 gaiety. The men pressed round him, as if on parade. It even interfered51 with the marching order. What should he do but organise52 relays! Every quarter of an hour, he said to his neighbours:
"'Ook it lads! Send some other pals53 along now, an' we'll see if I can't raise a smile out of 'em."
They gave up their places without any sour looks.
"Ain't 'e a caution!"
"Fit to make yer split, the blighter!"
He was never in better form than when we were in the tightest places, when all the others were down in the dumps. On the "Beauclair" evening, when we had to retire, he was worth seeing as he went off shouldering his rifle, with a Uhlan's helmet, picked up in some house, in his hand, and the air of a gentleman who had[Pg 355] just put an end to the war in the most brilliant style, and was on his way home where his little wife was waiting to welcome him with open arms! Or again on the next day.... A hail of shells, which was beginning, had just set fire to a little bit of a house. He asked the cook's permission to make the coffee, carried off the camp kettle, collected some brands from the beams, and boiled the water on them at the window. The shower of the "Black Marias" continued. It was a miracle that he was not killed. But his luck, our luck, held.
What endless queer characters there were! Lamalou, Bouguet, Gaudéreaux. We've seen them all at work—one might go on naming them indefinitely. And Bouillon!
He had come one morning to ask my advice as to how to send money orders.
I had taken it as a joke:
"Send them, my dear fellow? This is more the sort of time to receive them!"
"It's for Marie," he said, "who's stayed behind with the kid!"
"Your kid?"
"I don't know about that!"
He explained that he had lived with a girl, a rag-gatherer like himself. They had struck up acquaintance when plying54 their hooks, and made love across the dust-bins—and they had come to an understanding. So far, so good. But then at the end of eight months—eight months exactly, that was the annoying part!—Marie had gone to Boucicaut for the birth of her child, a little duck, as pretty as could be! The point was not so much to find out who its father was, as to rear the little brat55! It used to be quite a paying job—[Pg 356]but then the great Trafalgar had come, and Blimey! ever since then there hadn't been none too much to be scratched up out o' them dust-bins—so he thought that as he had a bit o' cash he'd better send some to Marie, if it weren't more'n ten francs.
I realised that he must be economising out of the little tips he got from me. I was much touched by his story, and promised to make inquiries56.
The matter would depend on the baggage-master. He did not put in an appearance just then. Bouillon asked me about the matter again. I mentioned it casually57 to Henriot who sent me to the captain. He greeted me affably, and I laid the matter before him. He called me back. He had learnt, he said, of my brother's death, and he expressed his sympathy for me. He added that he had watched me at work. "I'm glad to see you've been making yourself useful."
As for the money order, he undertook to see that it got to its destination, solemnly took the girl's address, and handed me a receipt.
When he got it, Bouillon turned it over and over, and asked me what it meant.
The little sum had been doubled by me and doubled again by the captain.
His tanned face contracted; and tears glistened58 in the corners of his big eyes. He stammered59 in his effort to thank me.
"Oh! R-r-rooky!"
I gave him a smack60 on the shoulder, and told him—and how sincerely I meant it—that we owed him a hundred times more!
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1
morale
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| n.道德准则，士气，斗志 | |
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dolts
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| n.笨蛋，傻瓜( dolt的名词复数 ) | |
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parches
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| v.（使）焦干， （使）干透( parch的第三人称单数 )；使（某人）极口渴 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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perspicuity
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| n.（文体的）明晰 | |
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8
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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10
innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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penetration
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| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
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12
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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13
implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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14
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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15
broaching
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| n.拉削；推削；铰孔；扩孔v.谈起( broach的现在分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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16
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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17
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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18
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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21
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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22
dominant
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| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
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23
organisation
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| n.组织，安排，团体，有机休 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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25
ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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brigands
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| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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32
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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pestered
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| 使烦恼，纠缠( pester的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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37
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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38
convoys
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| n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队 | |
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39
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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40
witticisms
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| n.妙语，俏皮话( witticism的名词复数 ) | |
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41
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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42
doggerel
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| n.拙劣的诗，打油诗 | |
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43
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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44
eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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45
mimicry
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| n.（生物）拟态，模仿 | |
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46
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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47
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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48
drollery
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| n.开玩笑，说笑话；滑稽可笑的图画（或故事、小戏等） | |
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49
absurdities
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| n.极端无理性( absurdity的名词复数 )；荒谬；谬论；荒谬的行为 | |
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50
hilarious
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| adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed | |
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51
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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52
organise
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| vt.组织，安排，筹办 | |
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53
pals
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| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
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54
plying
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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55
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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56
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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58
glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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