CHAPTERXI

chapterxi

forsomedaysinthatfebruaryof1916thewarcorrespondentsinthechateauoftilques,fromwhichtheymadetheirexpeditionstotheline,weresnoweduplikethearmyroundthem.noteventhemotor-carscouldmovethroughthatsnowwhichdriftedacrosstheroads.wesatindoorstalking—hightreasonsometimes—ponderingovertheproblemofawarfromwhichthereseemednowayout,becomingirritablewithoneanother'scompany,becomingpassionateinargumentabouttheethicsofwar,thepurposeofman,thegospelofchrist,theguiltofgermany,andthedishonestyofbritishpoliticians.futile,foolisharguments,whilemenwerebeingkilledingreatnumbers,asdailyroutine,withoutresult!

officersofadivisionbilletednearbycameintodinewithus,someofthemgeneralswithelaboratetheoriesonwarandapassionatehatredofgermany,seeingnootherevilintheworld;someofthembrigadierswithtalesofappallingbrutality(whichcausedgreatlaughter),someofthembattalionofficerswiththepointofviewofthosewhosaid,“morituritesaluant!”

therewasonewhoseconversationiremember(havingtakennotesofitbeforeiturnedinthatnight).itwasaremarkableconversation,summingupmanythingsofthesamekindwhichihadheardinstraysentencesbyotherofficers,andmonthbymonth,yearsafterward,heardagain,spokenwithpassion.thisofficerwhohadcomeouttofrancein1914andhadbeenfightingeversincebyaluckwhichhadsparedhislifewhensomanyofhiscomradeshadfallenroundhim,didnotspeakwithpassion.hespokewithabitter,mockingirony.hesaidthatg.h.q.wasaclosecorporationinthehandsofthemilitarycliquewhohadmuddledthroughthesouthafricanwar,andwerenowgoingtomuddlethroughaworseone.theywere,hesaid,intrenchedbehindimpregnablebarricadesofold,moss-eatentraditions,redtape,andcasteprivilege.theywere,ofcourse,patriotswhobelievedthattheempiredependedupontheirsystem.theyhadnodoubtoftheirinherentrighttoconductthewar,whichwas“theirwar,”withoutinterferenceorcriticismorpublicity.theyspentmanyhoursofthedaysandnightsinwritingletterstooneanother,andthosewhowrotemostlettersreceivedmostdecorations,andfelt,withapatrioticfirewithintheirbreasts,thattheyweregettingonwiththewar.

withintheirclosecorporationtherewererivalries,intrigues,perjuries,andtreacherieslikethoseofamedievalcourt.eachgeneralandstaff-officerhadhisfollowersandhissycophants,whojostledforoneanother'sjobs,fawnedonthegreatman,flatteredhisvanity,andmadehimbelieveinhisomniscience.amongthegeneralstafftherewerevariousgrades—g.s.o.i,g.s.o.ii,g.s.o.iii,andthoseinthelowergradesfoughtforahighergradewitheverykindofartfulness,anddiplomacyandback-stairinfluence.theyworkedlateintothenight.thatistosay,theywentbacktotheirofficesafterdiningatmess—“sofrightfullybusy,youknow,oldman!”—andkepttheirlightsburning,andsmokedmorecigarettes,andrangoneanotheruponthetelephonewithfutilequestions,andinventednewwaysofpreventingsomethingfrombeingdownsomewhere.thewartothemwasafar-offthingessentialtotheirwayoflife,asminersinthecoal-fieldsareessentialtostatesmenindowningstreet,especiallyincoldweather.butitdidnottouchtheirsoulsortheirbodies.theydidnotseeitsagony,orimagineit,orworryaboutit.theywerealwayscheerful,breezy,brightwithoptimism.theymadealittleworkgoalongway.theywerehaughtyandarrogantwithsubordinateofficers,oratthebestaffableandcondescending,andtosuperiorofficerstheysaid,“yes,sir,”“no,sir,”“quiteso,sir,”toanystatement,howeverabsurdinitsignoranceanddogmatism.ifamajor-generalsaid,“wagnerwasamountebankinmusic,”g.s.o.iii,whohadoncestudiedatmunich,said,“yes,sir,”or,“youthinkso,sir?ofcourseyou'reright.”

ifalieutenant-colonelsaid,“browningwasnotapoet,”astaffcaptain,whohadreadbrowningatcambridgewithpassionateadmiration,said:“iquiteagreewithyou,sir.andwhodoyouthinkwasapoet,sir?”

itwasthearmysystem.theopinionofasuperiorofficerwascorrect,always.itdidnotadmitofcontradiction.itwasnottobecriticized.itsignorancewaswisdom.

g.h.q.lived,saidourguest,inaworldofitsown,rose-colored,remotefromtheuglythingsofwar.theyhadheardofthetrenches,yes,butasthewestendhearsoftheeastend—anastyplacewherecommonpeoplelived.occasionallytheyvisitedthetrenchesassocietyfolkgoslumming,andcamebackproudofhavingseenashellburst,havingbravedtheliceandthedirt.

“thetrenchesaretheslums,”saidourguest.“wearethegreatunwashed.wearethemud-larks.”

therewasatrenchinthesalientcalledj.3.itwasawayoutinadvanceofourlines.itwasnotconnectedwithourowntrenchsystem.ithadbeenleftderelictbybothsidesandwasaditchinnoman'sland.butourmenwereorderedtoholdit—“tosavesniping.”abattalioncommanderprotestedtotheheadquartersstaff.therewasnoobjectinholdingj.3.itwasatargetforgermangunsandatemptationtogermanminers.

“j.3,”camethestaffcommand,“mustbehelduntilfurtherorders.”

welostfivehundredmeninholdingit.thetrenchandallinitwerethrownupbymines.amongthosekilledwasthehon.lyndhurstbruce,thehusbandofcamilleclifford,withotherhusbandsofwomenunknown.

ourguesttoldthestoryofthemassacreinneuvechapelle.“thisisadeathsentence,”saidtheofficerswhowereorderedtoattack.buttheyattacked,anddied,withgreatgallantry,asusual.

“intheslums,”saidourguest,“weareexpectedtodieifg.h.q.tellsusso,orifthecorpsarrangesourfuneral.andgenerallywedo.”

thatnight,whenthesnowlayontheground,ilistenedtotherumblingofthegunningawayinthesalient,andseemedtohearthegroansofmenathooge,atst.-eloi,inotherawfulplaces.theironyofthatguestofourswasfrightful.itwasbitterbeyondjustice,thoughwithtruthinthemockery,thetruthofasoulshockedbythewasteoflifeandheroism;...whenimethimlaterinthewarhewasonthestaff.