They were a bit haughty at first, but dinner thawed them out and then what tales they told us; the most promising imagination could not rival their flights in the air. They acted like people who walk in their sleep and had that same vague expression of the eye. But it is not to be wondered at, coming as they did from a frightful battlefield and fatigued by a hard march. It must be true that battle intoxicates men for these latter, being of a sensible age, did say very ridiculous things. Hitherto the officers who have been here were fairly modest though always showing an undeniable confidence, while these three openly bragged. The young lieutenant who sat next to me spoke French fluently and never stopped talking all the evening. Among countless other things, he said, "We are being sent back from Namur as Paris is taken" (ejaculation from me "I cannot believe it") "and they have no more need of us in that direction," he went on without turning a hair. "So we are _en route_ for England or Russia, in the morning, to conquer the seven nations (he included Monaco in the list) who have declared war against our beloved Vaterland." "And, Mademoiselle," he continued, "they fired on our ambulances!" "Ah?" I answered, nonchalantly, "the Germans have already done that here." He was a bit taken aback at this rejoinder; then with a prodigiously sorrowful look he exclaimed in a hushed voice, "_Oui, la guerre est terrible._" The victories they exploited on land and sea were fantastic and the funny part is, they believed thoroughly all they said. It is strange to hear serious people fabricate such yarns as they did, with as much dexterity as a spider spins its web. _August 29th, Saturday._ The ambulance was as busy as a beehive this A. M. Except for one or two, the patients are all feeling better. André, the third on the left, whose sonorous "_Merci, chère Soeur_" nearly frightened me to pieces one day, seems to be the wit and authority on all subjects--a real leader, I should say, and _drôle_! Augustin, four beds from him, is our difficult child, the only one of the twenty-nine who is spoiled and fights his dressings, but we must be patient with him for he has been very sick and that drawn look about the nose and a certain, startled expression of the eyes, worry me. But the little _Soeur Victoire_ says comfortingly that he will soon be well, though he does not wish to eat and his jaws are a little stiff. O, _chère Soeur_, in your sweet faith, are stiffened jaws such a trivial circumstance? Next Augustin is Sylvestre, _le beau_. He was the splendid _pointeur_ of Fort Chaudefontaine and was the least burned of the men; that is why I know he is beautiful; also I catch many glimpses of him in the little mirror in which he is constantly regarding himself, but he is _bon garçon_, nevertheless--his honest blue eyes attest it.