We should have liked to stop, to make inquiries, and help if we could. There were several children. Had their mother fainted? Perhaps. Was there a man with them? Suppose there was not!... I was sorely tempted to jump down from the ammunition wagon and run back, but I knew that I should not be able to rejoin the battery. A horseman dismounted, saying: "I'll stop the medical officer when he comes up.... We'll catch you up at the trot!" We were carried on by the slow-marching column. So great was the horror of that which had happened on the side of the road that I was kept awake despite my weariness, and saw the daylight slowly creeping in. I think I shall always hear that little voice crying "Mother!" and the sound of the children's sobs in the grey dawn. On reaching the main road we had to halt and let the infantry of the 7th Division pass. The Army Corps was retiring. Some one said that we were going to entrain. To entrain! Why? To go where? It appeared that we had been relieved on the Meuse by fresh troops, and that the 4th Corps was to be re-formed. We were going to rest, then--to sleep! But we had heard that so often during the last eight days! Could we believe it? And yet it must be true, for this part of the country would surely not be left defenceless. Down the road, wave upon wave, with the swishing noise of open sluices, battalion succeeded battalion. The soldiers seemed fairly cheerful; there were even some who sang. The 101st Infantry swung by. "Is the 102nd behind you?" asked Tuvache. "Yes." "I ask because my brother is in it." The long column still filed by. At last, several minutes later, the brother arrived. "Hi! Tuvache!" One of the men turned round: "Hallo! It's you!" The two brothers simply shook hands, but their joy at meeting again could be read in their eyes. "So you're all right?" "Yes, and you?" "As you see ... quite all right." "I'm glad...." "Had any news from home?" "Yes, yesterday. They're all well, and they told me to give you their love if I saw you, and to give you half the postal order they sent me." The soldier searched in his pocket. "The only thing is that I haven't been able to get hold of the postmaster to cash it. But, if you want it...." "No, you keep it! I've got more money than I want." "All right, then. Uncle and auntie both sent their love.... Hallo! I mustn't lose my company.... I believe we're going to rest a bit...." "They say so. In that case we shall see each other again soon.... So long!" Their hands met. The infantryman made a step forward. "I'll tell them I've seen you when I write." "Yes, so will I!" The man ran on, shouldering his way through the ranks. Occasionally we saw his hand raised above the heads, waving good-bye. Following behind the regiments of the 7th Division we began a march of exasperating slowness. It was very hot, and the dust raised by the infantry smothered and stifled us. At intervals, by the roadside, dead horses were lying.