CHAPTERXV

chapterxv

whilewehungonthenewsfromverdun—itseemedasthoughthefateoftheworldwereinfortdouaumont—ourownlistsofdeathgrewlonger.

inthecasualtyclearingstationbypoperinghemoremangledmenlayontheirstretchers,hobbledtotheambulance-trains,gropedblindlywithonehandclutchingatacomrade'sarm.more,andmore,andmore,withheadwounds,andbodywounds,withtrench-feet,andgas.

“ochrist!”saidoneofthemwhomiknew.hehadbeenlaidonaswing-bedintheambulance-train.

“nowyouwillbecomfortableandhappy,”saidther.a.m.c.orderly.

theboygroanedagain.hewassufferingintolerableagony,and,graspingastrap,hauledhimselfupalittlewithawetsweatbreakingoutonhisforehead.

anotherboycamealongalone,withonehandinabigbandage.hetoldmethatitwassmashedtobits,andbegantocry.thenhesmudgedthetearsawayandsaid:

“i'mluckyenough.isawmanyfellowskilled.”

soithappened,daybyday,butthecourageofourmenendured.

itseemedimpossibletonewcomersthatlifecouldexistatallundertheshell-firewhichthegermansflungoverourtrenchesandwhichweflungovertheirs.soitseemedtotheirishbattalionswhentheyheldthelinesroundloos,bythathohenzollernredoubtwhichwasoneofourlittlehells.

“thingshappened,”saidoneofthem,“whichinothertimeswouldhavebeencalledmiracles.weallhadhairbreadthescapesfromdeath.”fordaystheywereunderheavyfire,with9.2'sflingingupvolumesofsandandearthandstonesaboutthem.thenwavesofpoison-gas.thentrench-mortarsandbombs.

“itseemedlikeyears!”saidoneoftheirishcrowd.“noneofusexpectedtocomeoutalive.”

yetmostofthemhadthelucktocomeoutalivethattime,andoveramiddaymessinaflemishfarmhousetheyhadheartyappetitesforbullybeefandfriedpotatoes,washeddownbythinredwineandstrongblackcoffee.

roundypres,andupbyboesingheandhooge—yourememberhooge?—the14th,20th,and6thdivisionstookturnsinwetditchesandinshell-holes,withheavycrumpsfallingfastandroaringbeforetheyburstlikedevilsofhell.ononedaytherewerethreehundredcasualtiesinonebattalionthegermangun-firelengthened,andmenwerekilledontheirwayoutto“rest”—campstotheleftoftheroadbetweenpoperingheandvlamertinghe.

onmarch28ththeroyalfusiliersandthenorthumberlandfusiliers—theoldfightingfifth—capturedsixhundredyardsofgermantrenchesnearst.-eloiandaskedfortrouble,which,sureenough,cametothemwhofollowedthem.theirattackwasagainstagermanstrongholdbuiltofearthandsand-bagsninefeethigh,aboveanestoftrenchesintheforkoftworoadsfromst.-eloitomessines.theyminedbeneaththisplaceanditblewupwitharoaringblastwhichflunguptonsofsoilinablackmass.thenthefusiliersdashedforward,flingingbombsthroughbarbedwireandoversand-bagswhichhadescapedtheradiusofthemine-burst—inonejumbledmassofhumanbodiesinahurrytogeton,tokill,andtocomeback.onegermanmachine-gungottoworkonthem.itwasknockedoutbyabombflungbyanofficerwhosavedhiscompany.themachine—gunnerswerebayoneted.elsewheretherewaschaosoutofwhichlivingmencame,shakingandmoaning.

isawtheroyalfusiliersandnorthumberlandfusilierscomebackfromthisexploit,exhausted,cakedfromheadtofootinwetclay.theirsteelhelmetswerecoveredwithsand-ing,theirtrench-waders,theirrifles,andsmokehelmetswereallplasteredbywet,whiteearth,andtheylookedaedregimentofscarecrowsgatheredfromthefieldsoffrance.someofthemhadshawlstiedabouttheirhelmets,andsomeofthemworetheshinyblackhelmetsofthejaegerregimentandthegraycoatsofgermansoldiers.theyhadhadluck.theyhadnotleftmanycomradesbehind,andtheyhadcomeoutwithlifetothegoodworld.tiredastheywere,theycamealongasthoughtocarnival.theyhadprovedtheircouragethroughanuglyjob.theyhaddone“damnwell,”asoneofthemremarked;andtheywereoutoftheshell-firewhichravagedthegroundtheyhadtaken,whereothermenlay.