a troop is somewhat the same as one child the less
in a family. And, besides, it means one trooper unmounted and the loss
of a sword in battle. Lemaitre was right. "Ramier" was a good old
servant, one of the kind that never goes lame, can feed on anything or
on nothing, and never hurts anybody. It was hard to put an end to him;
but since he was done for....

I put the muzzle of my revolver into his ear. I did not wish him to
feel the cold metal; but his whole body shuddered, and his eye,
lighting up for a moment, seemed to reproach me. Paff! A short, sharp
report, and "Ramier" quivered for a moment. Then his sufferings
ceased, and his stiffening carcase added one more to the many that
strewed the country.

Whilst Lemaitre slung his heavy package on his shoulders and went off
to return to the regiment with Corporal Madelaine, who was leading
"Attraction," I went back to my observation post, not far from Finet
and Vercherin. Silence and gloom still hung over Courgivault.

Suddenly, behind me, coming out of the wood, I saw a cavalry troop in
extended order, riding in our direction. They were _Chasseurs
d'Afrique_. I recognised them by the large numbers of white horses,
which made light patches upon the dark green of the thicket, and
almost at the same moment a dull report resounded in the distance. A
curious humming noise was heard above our heads, and a shell fell and
burst at the foot of the stacks in the possession of the Prussian
infantry. It came from one of our batteries of 75-millimetre guns,
which was already getting the range of Courgivault.

My message had reached the Colonel. The battle of the Marne had begun.

* * * * *

Under a superbly clear sky, lit up by myriads of stars, the brigade,
in a high state of delight, crossed the battlefield on returning to
camp. Above our heads the last shells sent by the enemy were bursting
in bouquets of fire. We paid no attention to them. Meeting some
battalions of infantry on their way to reinforce the line, we were
asked for news, and shouted: "Courgivault, Montceau ... taken, lost,
then retaken with the bayonet by the brave infantry of the M.
Division. Enemy's regiments annihilated by our artillery, which has
done magnificently...."

Little by little the firing died away along the whole line. Fires,
started by the shells, lit up the battlefield on every side, like
torches set ablaze for our glory. All hearts were filled with joy. It