They began reconstructing the scene completely, the bombardment; and they recalled the premonitory whistling of the shell that had wounded them both. They chatted for a long time and there was a consolation for having been taken prisoner in finding themselves together. Some weeks later Cochin and his comrade, being improved in health and strength, were evacuated to a hospital in the interior. They made a long journey on the railroad and perceived more and more how unfortunate it was to lose one or more limbs. On arriving there, Cochin had so lost the notions of equilibrium that he fell several times to the ground to the great despair of Dubois, who thereafter never slackened his hold on him. Cobusse and Patachon came rapidly to be very close friends; these two wrecks of the war could not be separated and found in each other a reciprocal sustenance. Patachon washed, dressed and fed Cobusse and rolled his cigarettes. He tried to explain to his friend that one can go through life without arms and used such unusual arguments that it caused his comrade to smile at times. And the latter said amusingly: "In the meantime, I have an itching--scratch then, my head--not there!--yes, there, how good that feels, Patachon----" Their morale remained excellent and they were confident of victory. During their captivity, one rainy day, they were sitting side by side on a bunk and began to talk of their families. Cochin told how his wife was waiting for him in _Panam_[34] with their little Hélène, who was almost five. He could not stop talking of the little _gamine_ who was "his own picture." "You cannot realize, Patachon, how lively and intelligent she is. Ah! what wouldn't I give to clasp her in my arms." To change the conversation Patachon said to him: "Some time you'll be eager to scratch yourself, Cobusse--Don't stand on ceremony, you know I'm here for _that_, my old friend--we must aid each other in life." The long hours of captivity passed sordidly enough, broken by the arrival of letters from France and packages of food. When they talked with the Germans they were completely reassured on the outcome of the war: both of them were very skeptical when they heard the bells ringing and when they read the bulletins announcing another German victory. When their guardians looked gloomy Patachon never failed to smile at Cobusee. "Our overseer wears a long face these great days, he must again have swallowed another pill!" The two, and their comrades, shattered wrecks like themselves, always passed the sombre days in the little German village where they were taken. They had to suffer numerous privations. They missed the hospital at the front and the German doctor who was "rather a good sort." They had to take insults from these heartless people and many times they were able to read a secret joy in their eyes on seeing them crippled. "Ough! the dirty beasts, Cobusse, did you see how that woman there sneered at us----"