Night spreads over the camp, not a star is to be seen in the sky;
gloomy, lugubrious, heavy darkness envelops it, rendered still more
dismal by the rain, which, fine as a mist, falls fast and silently,
penetrating our shabby garments.
It is nearly nine o’clock. Silence reigns, broken occasionally by the
howling of the wind. The tents--which the Germans had not yet taken the
trouble to light up--formed an indistinct blot on the darkness, their
existence revealed only by the flapping of the canvas shaken by the
gusts of a cold and bitter breeze. Some of the tents, lit by a few
candles which the prisoners had succeeded in procuring outside the camp,
with their dim, hazy outlines, gave relief to the gloomy night, which
appeared to suffer from the misery she was hiding. The lights will waver
here and there for some time, and then one by one will disappear when
the bugle has sounded the dismal notes of the “Curfew,” which sends a
shiver through the soul and starts the dogs howling. Till then the
occupants of the tents still out of bed assemble around the feeble
glimmer which, twinkling and lost in the shadows of the big place, gives
light to about thirty men grouped in a circle about it. Some are playing
cards, some writing diaries or reading over again the letter of a loved
one, a letter received perhaps a fortnight ago. Others again are
polishing rings or carving wood or simply thinking of past happiness--of
the joys of the family, or of a good table, or the comfort of an
arm-chair in one’s study, club or café. But perhaps this poor light
suggests mournful memories, evokes only the picture of tapers burning at
the four corners of a bier in which some beloved being is enclosed.
From time to time the flame flickers and, almost extinguishing the
cotton wick, plunges the tent into semi-obscurity, giving the shadows
more gigantic proportions. It is because some one has just opened the
door, and an icy wind rushes in and chills every one in its way.
Brr--brrr. It is not good to be outside. This rain penetrates and
freezes one in the twinkling of an eye. The last prisoners, loitering to
talk with their comrades in the neighbouring tents, come in one by one,
and rejoice to find themselves under shelter, for he must be insane who
remains outside in such weather.
Nine o’clock! We hear the discordant notes of the bugle. Blow out the
candles, the patrol is passing. Every one creeps shivering under his
blankets; the mattresses seem soft! How good it is to escape such
weather. A feeling of pity goes forth to those who are obliged to pass
the night outside, on the roads or in the trenches.
Silence and darkness envelop the camp, bringing sadness and repose.
Over yonder, however, a lamp is still burning; it appears to hurl
defiance at all rules! Oh! don’t be afraid; no one would risk being sent
to the pillory, for no one would dare to transgress orders in such a
manner. This lamp, which is the only one burning in the camp, belongs to
the kitchen, where the work is not finished. The cooks, tired by a long
and hard day’s labour, sigh for the rest their comrades are already
enjoying, and hasten as speedily as possible to finish their task. One
can see their hurrying shadows flitting to and fro.
Near the kitchen, in a particularly dark spot, about thirty men are
herded. They have been there almost a couple of hours, pressed one
against the other and shivering in the rain which soaks them to the
skin. Silently and feverishly they knock off from their numbed and
badly-shod feet the black liquid mud with which they splash each other;
they are spattered right to their knees, and the legs of their
trousers--stiff as if starched--rub the flesh till the blood comes. The
smoking lantern suspended from the ceiling of the kitchen and swinging
in the wind, from time to time, seemingly with regret, throws a yellow,
fleeting light on this still crowd. Here the khaki uniform predominates.
Here they are, those fine English soldiers, whose superb carriage,
exquisite cleanliness, bold warlike air and powerful muscles, excited
the admiration of the crowds at Havre and Rouen. Here they are, poor
beggars, without shirts, their jerseys in rags, their trousers in
holes, jagged, torn and thin as a spider’s web, their worn shoes down at
heel, letting in water on all sides. Their faces, once clean-shaven,
fresh and smiling, now emaciated, wan and dirty, are covered with rough,
bristling hair; their cheek-bones protrude, their eyes are hollow and
haggard. They were accustomed to substantial and abundant food. A quart
of hot, greasy water, wherein the vegetables are few and the meat
absent, now composes their “Menu,” and replaces the half-pound of beef,
potatoes, cabbage and pudding of former days. They were accustomed to a
bath every day, to frequent change of linen, to careful shaving. Here
they are without soap, towels or change of linen, having no razor and
often deprived of water. They let them die of hunger, rot in their dirt,
overrun by parasites, and subject them to the most repugnant and
terrible drudgery. On them the Teuton revenges the help given to France
by their country and the supremacy of their flag upon the sea.
There are men of all sizes among them: giants whose shoulders are bowed
with misery, beardless youths with the bearing of Ephebus, veterans
wearing on their breasts the ribbons of the Transvaal.
Men are there thin enough to frighten. With caps pulled down over their
eyes, hands in their pockets, their shoulders bent under the soaking
rain, they stamped the ground with their broken shoes, without uttering
a word. From time to time there is a slight bustle, a little
altercation; it is a soldier who tries to creep forward and get a
better place, and who is put back quickly and by brute force to the left
of the column.
The English know how to be calm and patient while waiting for anything,
but once they are roused nothing stops them.
In silence these men wait patiently. What do they want? What dark
conspiracy are they hatching in the shadows with the help of the silence
of night. Who will be the victim of this horde of half-starved wretches
in rags, despairing and ashamed.
They wait.
Suddenly a ray of light flashes abruptly into the trembling darkness,
betraying the opening of a door. “Here they are.”
Muscles harden under the ragged garments, chests swell, bodies are
poised ready. A formidable, savage struggle, accompanied by a hoarse
roar, transforms the peaceful and silent crowd into a threatening
hurricane, from which soon cries and oaths arise.
The light, swinging backwards and forwards, shows for a second angular
profiles, criminal faces, stamped with ferocious brutality, twitching
hands, and arms knotted and tattooed. Sinister sight!
The noise increases; they push; some struggle to advance; others to draw
back. Helmets are flying; the uproar and the cries destroy the peace of
the night. They come to blows, fists fall at random in the gloom with a
dull sound. The fight becomes furious. It is a battle of demons in a
hell deprived of light.
Those nearest the kitchen stoop, making wild and savage gestures; they
seem to want to finish an invisible enemy already brought down, and it
is with exclamations of joy and triumph and glee that they add their
voices to the cries of their comrades, who, from behind, catching on to
anything they can, try to force themselves forward and throw themselves
on the long-awaited victim. From time to time one hears the groans of
some man in pain, whose hand is being crushed under the nailed boots of
those who are advancing without looking where they are going.
The uproar causes the sentry on guard at the kitchen to appear, armed,
ferocious, yelling, gesticulating, sweeping them before him here, there,
everywhere, with blows from the butt of his rifle and kicks from his
heavy boots, bestowed with so praiseworthy a generosity that it
approaches prodigality. They do not give to his entrance on the scene
the importance it demands. His blows are added to the blows already
given, his cries to those already uttered, and only serve to increase
the tumult and uproar. The men who have been hit remain there insensible
and angry, with clenched hands and staring eyes full of violent
purposes. They remind one of ferocious dogs who have sprung on one
another, and that nothing can separate.
A few succeed in getting out of the arena, and disappear noiselessly in
the darkness, creeping along by the tents like night thieves; and the
lantern swinging from the rafters of the kitchen, seemingly ashamed of
showing up such poor wretches, spares them the indignity of revealing
their incognito, and swings backwards and forwards in such a manner as
to deprive them of its smoking light.
At last the cries die out, the movement becomes less intense. Silently
they go away one by one, till only the sentinel remains. His shouting
ceases; breathless but victorious he marches over the conquered ground.
“The combat is over for want of combatants.” The last prisoner to slip
away is a wretched young Englishman in rags. In his hands, covered with
blood and mud, he is carefully carrying his cap upside down. Arriving
opposite the kitchen he stops in the light, and from the greasy pocket
of his ragged trousers he draws out a handful of white sticky stuff
which he puts into his headgear. Slowly in this manner he empties both
his pockets. One can see his poor features, stamped with suffering,
suddenly light up at the contemplation of the contents of his cap; he is
smiling at his theft. Poor devil; hunger cries with an imperious voice,
and behold, our young Englishman fills his mouth with handfuls of the
slimy, sticky stuff that has just been in the mud, then in his greasy
pockets and smirched hands, and lastly in his cap shiny with dirt.
In spite of the fatigue of a day’s drudgery, in spite of the terrible
weather, risking the rudeness and blows of those stronger and more
hungry than himself, he has remained there patiently for two hours,
waiting for the cooks to come and throw away into a tub the remains of
the cod soup which was left in the saucepans. That poor English youth
is happy to be able to eat those salty and disgusting remains, composed
for the greater part of the bones, skin and eyes of the codfish, which
he has had the privilege of picking up under the blows of a Prussian
soldier, and is now greedily eating.
Satisfied, he returns to his mattress. To-morrow he will be happy to
find under his straw, dirty and full of parasites, at the bottom of his
greasy cap, the remains of to-day’s feast.
Every evening, at the time when their comrades are resting, these
starving men go to the same place! Every evening a similar distressing
scene is enacted.
Sometimes the sentinel on duty laughs and lets them take what they can
get. How good it is to see one’s enemies suffer from hunger, when one
feels the gentle pressure of a tunic over a well-filled stomach.
Brutes! The darkness has too long hidden your wickedness; your time is
coming! Strike those who are dying of hunger, laugh at those who are
struggling not to fall from exhaustion! The hour of your punishment has
struck!
[Illustration]
[Illustration: CENTRAL HEATING]