He was haunted by this idea. However, it was not long before we discovered that the illusion was solely caused by an exceptionally clear echo. In reality the fighting was going on near Dun-sur-Meuse. We crowded round the fountain, on the surrounding wall of which the last _Bulletin des Communes_ was pasted. But first we each drank, in great gulps, at least a quart of fresh water. Afterwards we read the news. All was going well! Nevertheless, it was announced that Mulhouse had been retaken. Apparently, then, it had been lost. We exchanged impressions: "Well, Hutin?" "Not bad," he answered rather dubiously, "but they don't say anything about our little show of last week." Bréjard, on the contrary, was filled with an optimism which nothing could damp: "Virton, Marville--why, all that is a mere nothing on a front as long as this! We've had to give a little in some sectors, that's all.... But otherwise things are going quite all right!" "All the same, it isn't nice to find ourselves in one of the sectors which have to give way," answered Hutin. "All that will change. We're going to be reinforced.... They say that De Langle is only a day's march off." "He'll have to hurry up if he wants to find any of the 4th Infantry left!" That was true. The regiments of the line, especially those of the 8th Division, had suffered terribly. Some battalions had been diminished by two-thirds, and, since the Battle of Virton, many companies were not more than fifty or eighty strong, and had lost all their officers. How we wished that De Langle would arrive! In the ever-thickening dust and overpowering heat we returned by the same road to the positions we had occupied the day before at Tailly. It seemed to us that we had uselessly wasted more than seven hours marching in a large circle. * * * * * Another aeroplane appeared. This oppression was becoming unbearable! We felt like a flock of frightened sparrows beneath the shadow of the hawk. The Germans have improved and developed the aerial arm to an enormous extent, and, unfortunately, our ·75's are unable to hit aeroplanes, the mobility of the gun on the carriage not being sufficient. It is necessary to dig a pit for the spade, and before this is finished the machine is always out of range. The aviator who had just flown over us had thrown out a star in order to mark the situation of one of our batteries in position on the heights commanding the river. The guns at once moved off, and took up a fresh position elsewhere. Shortly afterwards shells began to fall on the hill they had been occupying--enormous shells, which made the earth quake for miles around and withered the grass with their dirty, pungent smoke. "I expect those are the famous 22 cm. shells" said the Captain.