me time quiet, then he said, "It is good; now I feel I can tell
you, for you will not smile. For years, ever since I could think, I have
been an atheist. I went into this war an atheist. A few days ago a shell
burst near me and I was wounded in twenty-nine places." (This statement
was subsequently substantiated by the doctor and a nursing sister of
mercy.) "Monsieur, I was in great pain: then suddenly a kind face was
looking into mine, something touched my brow, the awful pain ceased.
'You called me,' a soft voice said. Then I remembered that when I was
wounded I had cried, 'Oh, my God!' and I laughed, monsieur, for I was an
atheist. Then I lost consciousness with that kind face still bending
over me. Now I lie and think of that kind face. The doctors say maybe I
shall recover, and the sisters here say to me that it is all in the Good
God's hands and I am content. I say it is all in the Good God's hands.
When that kind face was looking into mine I cried out 'I am an atheist,'
and he just smiled and said 'But you called me.'"

I offered to get a priest for the poor fellow, but he shook his head.
"No, monsieur. I have been an enemy of priests all my life--an enemy of
religion--the Church. To offer the remaining days of my wreckage to
God--no--I have but a few hours to live, and I would think of that kind
face, and when I think of it the pain ceases. Ah, monsieur, I had
wonderful arguments to show that there was no God, and that the clerics
are the people's enemies--yet when I was struck down I called 'Oh, my
God!' It is comical. That is why the kind face smiled."

Another wounded French soldier said to me: "When I go back to Toulon I
shall have something to say to my comrades. I always thought priests
were only half men, but my God! I have seen them fight. It is
magnificent. A priest led us when we hesitated, I got my two wounds
following him--a priest. Oh! it is truly unbelievable to think that I
should follow a priest. He led us to triumph. He led me to something
more. That day I knew religion was true. I saw something in his face. I
saw it again when he fell wounded, and I was wounded but I could only
think of him. Ah, life is droll--Now I go back to Toulon with two bad
wounds and a religion. Priests--I have seen them fight, and I lie and
laugh at myself and my comrades as fools for we thought of them as mere
amusements for women and children. I saw priests go forward where my
noble comrades held back--my noble comrade