When I awoke the sun had already risen. Looking through an opening in
one of the sides of the truck, my gaze encountered an immense plain,
neither the beginning nor the end of which I could distinguish. I asked
a man who was next to me where we were, and he told me not far from
Besançon. Half an hour later we entered that place. It was there that
I saw a convoy of automobiles--about a hundred--pass by. The train set
off once more, and an hour's travelling brought us within sight of
the first forts of Belfort. An hour and a half later we reached our
destination.
Unperceived I was able to slip through the exit on to the square in
front of the railway station. An ambulance was drawn up there. Drawing
near, I raised the covering and saw a number of soldiers stretched at
full length. In answer to my question as to what was the matter, they
replied that they were ill and had just left the hospital; they were
being "evacuated" to other towns. Thereupon I wandered forth to make a
tour of the town and discover the object of my search.
The first corps I encountered was the 8th Regiment of Territorial
Infantry. I followed it and found it was quartered on the ground floor
of an hotel in the Rue Thiers. At the end of the day, which I spent
with the men, a sergeant said to me:
"Eh! young man, you don't belong here?"
"No, sir," I replied.
"Where do you come from?"
"Monaco."
"Why did you leave Monaco for Belfort?"
"To go on campaign."
"But where are your parents--your father?"
"Father is mobilized."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"And your mother?"
"She's at Monaco, with my sisters."
"And why did you leave them?"
"As I've already told you, to go on campaign."
"What's your name?"
"Eugène Escloupié."
"Age?"
"Fourteen."
"Have you had your dinner?"
"No, sir."
"Well, come with me. I dare say there's a drop of soup left, and if
there is any meat you shall have it."
I followed the good-hearted sergeant to the kitchen where, for the
first time, I ate out of a French soldier's _gamelle_. When I had
finished the non. com. said to me:
"You shall remain with us. Go sit outside a bit and then get off to
bed. But it's on straw, not on feathers you'll sleep, my boy. However,
since you want to go to battle, you must accustom yourself to our life,
and if we leave, you shall come with us."
"_Oui, mon sergent._"
"Good! I'm pleased to see that you're beginning to accustom yourself to
the military life."
And with those words he left me.
Acquaintance with the soldiers was quickly made, but there was one in
particular with whom I became friendly. When the sergeant had gone he
took me aside and said:
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes; the sergeant saw to that."
"Well, if you're still hungry, don't hesitate to say so. I've got some
bread and meat I was unable to finish. Come now, will you have some?"
"No, thanks, I'm no longer hungry."
"Then you must be thirsty, and you won't refuse a drop of wine. One
moment, whilst I fetch my canteen."
He was back in two minutes with his canteen and poured me out a good
quartern. Then we sat on the edge of the pavement and began to talk
about one thing and another.
As a fine rain began to fall about half-past eight, everybody went
inside to go to bed. Unlacing my boots, I stretched myself out in the
straw by the side of my new comrade. At the door of our quarters stood
a sentinel, and although we slept with the door open and without
blankets we were not in the least cold, for there were thirty-six
in our room, which measured but twelve metres by nine. A terrible
storm raged outside. About one o'clock in the morning a deafening
noise awakened us. Everybody asked what had happened. One said it was
thunder, another the cannon. The sentry declared he had seen the flash
and the smoke; he was certain it was the cannon. But no one was sure.
It was not until daylight came that we learnt through an officer that
it was indeed the guns. Thus, for the first time, I heard the roar of
cannon.