And, dominating all the sonorities of the organ, a thousand voices unite in a sublime burst of song, “_Aux armes, citoyens!_ ...” “Grenades!” commands the lieutenant. The men, electrified, mouths half open, the machines in their hands, spring out of the trench in the teeth of the enemy, but two steps from him. And with an irresistible dash they charge him, follow him, crumble him. The Teutons flee in terror.... * * * * * Night has fallen. Under a sky reddened by the lights of fires deep silence is over everything. Numerous reinforcements have arrived. The reconquered positions have been reorganized at once. The general has been told of the exploit and he congratulates the officers and men, and promises them rewards. He also expresses a desire to see the church from which came the martial hymn which electrified the company. All is dark.... At the back near the altar a small lantern lightens the darkness ... we approach. On the ruined harmonium, forever silent now, “Father Music” sleeps.... CHAPTER XII “WE HAVE TAKEN A PICKET POST” (“Communique du”) The asphyxiating shells which have been falling around us for forty-eight hours without a let-up have ceased. This morning the first rays of the sun filtered through the layers of gas and seemed to evaporate them. This lull was opportune. Our masks have long since been glued to our faces, and loosened by our heavy breathing they no longer adhere hermetically and begin to let in the toxins. At last we are able to breathe at will and swallow our share of pure air. Our sap opens on the side of a great quarry and commands the whole valley of the Somme. At our feet is the canal and towpath, at the right in a group of trees in the middle of the marshes are the ruins of Froissy; opposite us, behind the buttress of the La Vache woods, is the steeple of Éclusier. The open space in front of our dugout forms a sort of terrace. Here we have laid out tables and dug seats in the chalk of the quarry. Men are descending by real scaling paths to get water from the canal, although it is against the major’s explicit orders. The towpath is visible from the enemy’s trenches on the other side of the Somme. During the preceding days, those who tried to follow it to get back to Éclusier more easily were wounded by the fire of a machine gun which sweeps the way. Our men come back from this expedition without accident, and we are able to proceed to our summary ablutions. We have not been able to do that for six days, and it is a real delight to feel the fresh water on our eyes and to rid the skin of its sticky moisture. Two of our sections hold the first-line trenches twenty yards in front of us. We must relieve them presently....