CHAPTERXVII

chapterxvii

duringthesebattlesisawthousandsofgermanprisoners,andstudiedtheirtypesandphysiognomy,and,bypermissionofintelligenceofficers,spokewithmanyofthemintheirbarbed-wirecagesoronthefieldofbattlewhentheycamealongunderescort.someofthemlookeddegraded,bestialmen.onecouldimaginethemguiltyofthefoulestatrocities.butinthemasstheyseemedtomedecent,simplemen,remarkablylikeourownladsfromthesaxoncountiesofengland,thoughnotquitesobrightandbrisk,aswasonlynaturalintheirpositionasprisoners,withallthemiseryofwarintheirsouls.afterwardtheyworkedwithpatientindustryintheprison-campsandestablishedtheirowndiscipline,andgaveverylittletroubleifwellhandled.ineachcrowdofthemtherewerefellowswhospokeperfectenglish,havinglivedinenglandaswaitersandhairdressers,orclerksormechanics.itwaswiththemispokemostbecauseitwaseasiest,butiknowenoughgermantotalkwiththeothers,andifoundamongthemallthesameloathingofwar,thesamebewildermentastoitscauses,thesamesenseofbeingdrivenbyevilpowersabovethem.theofficersweredifferent.theylostagooddealoftheirarrogance,buttothelasthadexcusesreadyforallthatgermanyhaddone,andalmosttothelastprofessedtobelievethatgermanywouldwin.theirsenseofcastewasintheirnature.theyrefusedtotravelinthesamecarriageswiththeirmen,tostayevenforanhourinthesameinclosureswiththem.theyregardedthem,forthemostpart,asinferiorbeings.andtherewerecastesevenamongtheofficers.irememberthatinthelastphase,whenwecapturedanumberofcavalryofficers,theseelegantsky-bluefellowsheldalooffromtheinfantryofficersandwouldnotmixwiththem.oneofthempacedupanddownallnightalone,andallnextday,stiffinthecorsetsbelowthatsky-blueuniform,notspeakingtoasoul,thoughwithinafewyardsofhimweremanyofficersofinfantryregiments.

ourmentreatedtheirprisoners,nearlyalways,afterthebloodofbattlewasoutoftheireyes,withagood—naturedkindnessthatastonishedthegermansthemselves.ihaveseenthemfillinggermanwater-bottlesatconsiderabletrouble,andtheescorts,twoorthreetoabigbatchofmen,wereutterlytrustfulofthem.“here,holdmyrifle,fritz,”saidoneofourmen,gettingdownfromatruck-traintogreetafriend.

anofficerstandingbytooknoticeofthis.

“takeyourriflebackatonce!isthatthewaytoguardyourprisoners?”

ourmanwasastonished.

“lor'blessyou,sir,theydon'twantnoguarding.they'regladtobetook.theyguardthemselves.”

“yourmenareextraordinary,”agermanofficertoldme.“theyaskedmewhetheriwouldcaretogodownatonceorwaittillthebarragehadpassed.”

heseemedamazedatthatthoughtfulnessforhiscomfort.itwasintheearlydaysofthesommefighting,andcrowdsofourmenstoodonthebanksaboveasunkenroad,watchingtheprisonerscomingdown.thisofficerwhospoketomehadanironcross,andthemenwantedtoseeitandhandleit.

“willtheygiveitbackagain?”heasked,nervously,fumblingattheribbon.

“certainly,”iassuredhim.

hehandedittome,andigaveittothemen,whopasseditfromonetotheotherandthenbacktotheowner.

“yourmenareextraordinary,”hesaid.“theyarewonderful.”

oneofthemostinterestingprisonersimetonthefieldofbattlewasatall,black-beardedmanwhomisawwalkingawayfromlaboissellewhenthatplacewassmokingwithshell-bursts.anenglishsoldierwasoneachsideofhim,andeachmancarriedahand-bag,whilethisblack-beardedgiantchattedwiththem.

itwasastrangegroup,andiedgednearertothemandspoketooneofthemen.

“who'sthis?whydoyoucarryhisbags?”

“oh,we'regivinghimspecialprivileges,”saidtheman.“hestayedbehindtolookafterourwounded.saidhisjobwastolookafterwounded,whoevertheywere.sotherehe'sbeen,inadugoutbandagingourlads;andnojoke,either.it'shellupthere.we'regladtogetoutofit.”

ispoketothegermandoctorandwalkedwithhim.hediscussedthephilosophyofthewarsimplyandwithwhatseemedlikesincerity.

“thiswar!”hesaid,withasad,ironicallaugh.“wegoonkillingoneanother-tonopurpose.europeisbeingbledtodeathandwillbeimpoverishedforlongyears.wegermansthoughtitwasawarforkultur—ourcivilization.nowweknowitisawaragainstkultur,againstreligion,againstallcivilization.”

“howwillitend?”iaskedhim.

“iseenoendtoit,”heanswered.“itisthesuicideofnations.germanyisstrong,andenglandisstrong,andfranceisstrong.itisimpossibleforonesidetocrushtheother,sowhenistheendtocome?”

imetmanyotherprisonersthenandayearafterwardwhocouldseenoendofthemassacre.theybelievedthewarwouldgoonuntillivinghumanityonallsidesrevoltedfromtheunceasingsacrifice.intheautumnof1918,whenatlasttheendcameinsight,bygermandefeat,unexpectedafewmonthsbeforeevenbythegreatestoptimistinthebritisharmies,thegermansoldierswereglad.theydidnotcarehowthewarendedsolongasitended.defeat?whatdidthatmatter?wasitworsetobedefeatedthanfortheracetoperishbybleedingtodeath?