In the Field (1914-1915): The Impressions of an Officer of Light Cavalry

ouses 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 w

d 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

a good meal, than lie down at once on straw with an empty stomach. Listen to me. Let us go on to that nice Belgian town over there, only a few steps farther. It is hardly

oldiers. No one offered us any hospitality, in spite of all B.'s objurgations, now beseeching, now imperious. In despair, I suggested at last that we shou

the wall. B. at once went up to it, and caught it by the arm. It

ty on two poor weary, ha

interspersed with Flemish, she gave us to understand that the litt

large white building, whe

B. had already made up his mind; that was where we were to sleep. Leaving the old woman aghast, he went with long strides to the iron railing w

" he said, "I'll

induced to abandon a resolution he had once taken. True, he did not often make one, but this time he seemed to be carrying out a very definite plan. The best thing was to submit, and await the result of his attempt. We went up three steps, and felt for the knocker. "Here it is," said B., and he lifted it and knocked

e are dying of hunger and very tired, and, so far, nobody has been willing to ope

face was furrowed with deep wrinkles, and her skinny hand, held before the lamp, seemed transparent. She made up her mind at once. Her face lit up with a kind smile, and she signed to us to come in, with words which were probably friendly. This was a suppo

g swimmingly. Now that we have got

irs set in a line against the partition. Opposite the door, there was a simple wooden crucifix, and the stret

I believe it is cabbage soup, and i

lied; "I'll wager they a

y which the portress had just disa

lle!... Sister

other nun came in very quietly, and rather embar

ed or moved me most during this campaign. If I ever survive it, I want to be able to read them again in my latter days. I want to have them read by those who belong to me, and to try to show them what kind of life we led during those unforgettable days. And it is not always the battles which leave the most lively impressions. How many delightful things

ty will not suffer, let me tell the story of the welcome my frie

of excitement made them seem larger still. Above all, she had an enchanting smile, a smile of such kindness that we at once felt at ease and sure of ob

aid, "because I am the only one here who can sp

r. She might have been a picture of other days, an illuminated figure from a missal. We looked at

ces not washed since I don't know when. We have just gone four days without sleep, almost without food,

ich showed white against the black cloth of her dress. Those hands seemed to say: "I should like to very much

any case, we can give

er saucepans shone resplendently. The black and white pavement looked like an ivory chessboard. Two Sisters were sitting peeling vegetables which they threw into a bowl of water. An enormous pot, on the well-polished stove, was humming its inviting monotone. It was this pot which exhale

t is not worth while; they

dirty the things were, after those three months of war! We ourselves felt fairly ashamed to be seen in such a state. Our coats worn and stained, our breeches patched, our huge boots covered with mud, all formed a strange contrast to the room we were in.

much confidence, it is simply because our stomachs are so empty. And no one more resembles a vagabond than a poor wretch who is dying

e cupboards, and, from the piles of linen, picked out a checkered red and white tablecloth with

d rest. I will go and fet

ed her to

" he said, "we hav

e had enjoyed such comfort! Everything there seemed designed to charm our eyes and rest our minds. There was no noise in the street, and the convent itself would have see

our mouths water. For many days past we had had nothing to eat but our rations of tinned meat, and all that time we had not been able to

most like a picnic. Whilst I was eating I could not help admiring Sister Gabrielle; she looked so refined in her modest black clothes. Her slightest movements were as harmonious as those of an actress on the stage. But she was natural in

the old people's dormitory, with nice white sheets, go to bed every evening on the stroke of eight, and you, Sister, would come and tuck me up. I should sleep, and eat cabbage soup, and drink good beer-your health. Sister!-and I shouldn't think any more about anything at all..

Sister Gabrielle with

rom a battery of heavy guns ("long 120's") two kilometres from Elverdinghe, which made all the windows of the convent rattle, I shuddered as I thought of those thousands of shells, hurtling through the darkness for miles to reduce so many living human beings to poor broken and bleeding things. And I pictured to myself our Prussians of Bixschoote sprawling

Mon Dieu! ... I

a dish worthy of the gods, and the bacon in it, the savour of which might imperil a saint. Sister Gabrielle, you tempt us t

listened to him. She went on serving us smilingly; changed our plates, and brought us ham and cheese.

e are poor wretched travellers. If you drive us away, we shall have to sleep on the grass by the roadside, with stones for our pillows. No, you couldn't treat us so

and looked at him with her large clear eyes. She made the same gesture as before; lifted up both her hands, in token of

not a singl

troops in the dark, and put our men to the inconvenience of making room for us on their straw, so I too looked at Sister Gabrielle imploringly. All at once she seemed to have decided what to do. She began by opening one of the cupboards in

nds, ... and we give it to our

. Sister,

that surrounded us. The guns seemed to be further off; we only heard a distant growling in the direction of Yprès. Our eyelids began to droop

the room, with a

," sh

ugh the kitchen, now dark and deserted. The flickering light of the candle was reflected here and there on the curves of the copp

ldiers, dusty, tattered and squalid, trying to make as little noise as possible with our heavy hobna

feeble ray from below threw her delicate features into relief: her fine nose, her childish mouth, with its constant smile; our

s and a pediment with a Latin inscription. Sist

" she said i

nking rosary and keys. As we began to go up the second

rom Paradise. Surely God can refuse you nothing. You will p

ay for you," she answered, sof

er in. We found ourselves in a small room, austerely furnished with two little iron bedsteads, two little deal tables, and two rush chairs. Above each bed there was a crucifix, with

e as possible. But, one thing, we shall sleep

e do you wan

nctually, as soldie

it. We have Mass at four

well, Sister, to show you we are not miscreants, wa

apel. No, no, you must sleep.... Get to bed quic

ht.... We shall be so comfortable. You

. One can always

f, shutting the

of sleeping in a bed. How delightful it would be af

. But the front door had already been opened, and a figure slipped in hurriedly. The sobs came up the stairs to our door, and women's voices, Sister Gabrielle's voice, speaking Flemish, then another voice, sounding like a death-rattle, t

not hear it any longer. I wanted to know what tragedy had caused those sobs. I could not doubt that the horrible war was at the bottom of it. And yet we were a long way from the firing line.

ing her little girl of eighteen months. As she was running distractedly along the road from Lizerne to Boesinghe a German shell had fallen, and a fragment of it had killed her baby in her arms. She had just come six kilometres in the dark, clasping the little corpse to her breast in an agony of despair. She got to El

ee her. We have put the poor little body in the mortu

lowish gleams upon the high walls of the buildings. Heavy drops of rain were falling, making a strange noise on the stones. And a kind of ang

less mass of human fragments. Here I realised all the horror of war. That men should kill each other in defence of their homes is conceivable enough, and I honour those who fall. But it passes

over the whole they had strewn an armful of flowers. On each side they had placed silver candlesticks, and the reddish candle-light made golden reflections in the curly locks of the little corpse. Crouching on the ground by the side of it, I saw a shapeless heap of clothes which seemed to be shaken by convulsive spasms. It

er. I longed to do something to lessen that grief, and help the poor woman a little. She must have come there in a state of destitut

which was very necessary, as I had to find my way in a maze of doors and passages. At last I reached my staircase, and passed the landing and the Sisters' chapel. I heard a distant clo

with the bed-clot

Daylight showed faintly through the only window. I wondered where

ister Gabriel

p. I have been knocking

old him what I had seen the evening before.

hope they'll have a good

of our room, lively and refreshed, we met Sister Gabrielle, who seemed to have been waiting for us. She aske

er on. Come down now; your breakfast

humour all our whims. We passed through an anteroom, and then entered the chapel. It was quite small, only large enough to hold about twenty people. The walls were white, without any ornament, and panelled up to about the heigh

hapel, I noticed two mattresses, lai

ere, then, Si

ppy. I had to repeat my question twice

th-Sister Eliza

, then that little room and those two l

come to brea

taircase, so quickly that her black veil floated

ining-room with the high cupboards of polished wood. She explained that at this hour the nuns were busy attending to their old folk. It was of no use begging to see

time, the old lady put into our hands a big packet of provisions

you this, and ... to say

st we went away silently along the broken, muddy road, we thought of th

eem to see you still, going up the great wooden staircase, lit up by the flickering flame of the candle, w