as if
on the parade-ground.

"Lieutenant X."

I gave my name.

"My dear fellow," he said, "I am delighted to shake hands with you.
Allow me to say how much we all admire your regiment. Your General has
just told us how your Chasseurs have behaved. Accept my
congratulations. We could not have done better ourselves. The cavalry
is certainly taking first place as a fighting force. Your regiment is
to be mentioned in despatches, and you deserve it. Good-night. Good
luck!"

"Thank you! Good luck!"

* * * * *

Once more we passed through the wood to take up our position in
reserve. Our men were beginning to feel the fatigue of those two days
without sleep and almost without rest.

But joy, stronger than bodily fatigue, predominated. It hovered over
our harassed troops. Above all, they were proud of having been
appreciated and congratulated by their brothers-in-arms of the crack
corps which is the admiration of the whole army.

Each man forgot his tortured nerves, his aching head, his weary legs,
repeating to himself the magic words:

"Your regiment is to be mentioned in despatches!"

VII. SISTER GABRIELLE

It was a very dark night. How were we to find our way about the little
unknown town of Elverdinghe, near which our regiment had just been
quartered? We could hardly make out the low houses with closed windows
and long roofs of thatch or slate, and kept stumbling on the greasy
and uneven cobble-stones. Now and again the corner of a street or the
angle of a square was lit up dimly by a ray of light filtering through
half-closed shutters. I went along haphazard, preceded by my friend B.
We were quite determined to find beds, and to sleep in peace.

After our four days' fighting near Bixschoote we had been sent to the
rear, ten kilometres away from the line of fire, to get twenty-four
hours' rest; had arrived at nightfall, and found much difficulty in
putting up our men and horses in the small farms around the town. But
no sooner had they all found places, no sooner had the horses got
their nose-bags on and the kitchen fires been lighted, than B., who
was always anxious about the comforts of his board and lodging, said
to me:

"There is only one thing for us to do. We are to rest. We must find a
bed and a well-furnished table. I had rather go to bed an hour later,
and sleep between sheets after a good meal, than lie down at once on
straw with an empty stomach. Listen to