She fell behind, in a fury, calling us good-for-nothings. We followed a paved street, then a cross-road, till we came to a wood. We went into it and piled arms. I sat down with my back against a tree, while Guillaumin and the subaltern went off into the thicket. De Valpic came and joined me: "I believe things will go all right this time," he said. I repeated my conversation with the captain. Jove, the man's powers of divination could not be exaggerated, but he might be mistaken in---- "The miracle of this war is at hand," De Valpic continued. "I'm convinced of it." His eyes shone. He murmured: "You'll see it--you'll see it all right." "And why not you?" He shook his head. "No. I--I shall stay there." "Nonsense!" I upbraided him. What was this childishness? He was no more exposed than I was, or any of us for that matter! Why give up hope like this? He stopped me. "Just think a minute. Isn't it the best thing that could happen to me?" "Got as far as that?" "How do you mean 'as far as that'?" He had a fit of coughing which brought colour into his cheeks and tears into his eyes. "When one has--faith!" he said, "it is less horrible--in fact it is not horrible. What about you, Dreher? Have you never been a believer?" he asked. "Yes," I said. "My mother was very religious. I was brought up in those ideas. I remember that at my confirmation my one wish, just think of it, was to become a priest or missionary. I kept on going to mass and that sort of thing for some years; but since then--no, that's all over. But I can quite understand people believing." De Valpic shook his head. "How can unbelievers bear the idea of death?" "There's nothing to be done but fly from it." "Impossible!" He lowered his voice. "For me, for instance----!" I did not know what to say.