He went off and soon came back, with a small bottle and a brush which he carefully took out of a glass tube. "Stings a bit, doesn't it?" He had also brought a bit of linen. He deftly bound up my ankle. I admired his dexterity. "Where did you learn it?" "Hunting, of course! That's the way to get sprains." He added: "I think that'll do until to-morrow!" He got hold of my boot. "This filthy counter. That's what's the matter. If only there was a way...." "Of doing what?" "With some scissors.... I've got some of them too, in my housewife." Another journey. When he had got back and adjusted his eye-glass he set to work to snip and shape. Particles of leather kept falling. "You're not spoiling it?" "Don't you worry! I'm an adept at this sort of thing!" He had finished. "Shove it on again. Well, how does it feel?" The friction was actually much lessened. "It will be the salvation of me, old chap!" He made a good-natured grimace. I looked at his thick red nose, his sandy moustache with its piteous droop at the corners of his mouth, his oily hair tangled under the cap which was perched on the back of his head. There was a touch of the grotesque in his ugliness at this moment. A blundering simple soul too, and overtalkative. And yet ... what a good sort he was! He had that rarest of virtues, Kindness, the mark of real distinction of soul. What spontaneous gratitude he aroused in me. To think that quite lately I had hardly dared to defend him against Laquarrière's sarcasms. That would all be changed now. To-day my choice was made, and well made. * * * * * There seemed to be a lull in the fighting. The cannonade was less violent. I wished for a moment that the struggle might end without us.... Yes, but only on condition that the result was favourable. I was not without apprehensions on that score, for what a repulse that action, described to us the day before, must have been! Guillaumin was hungry, and did not worry his head about anything else. Now or never was the time to stoke up. Before joining in the dance! I took his advice. Before starting in the middle of the night, we had been given a cold meal, potatoes, bully beef, and cheese. We had some bread left. Having clubbed our provisions we ate our little feast on the moss. "Like Robinson Crusoe, what!" I made a point of getting my companion to take the largest helps. When the last mouthful was swallowed, he lay down and shut his eyes. "What do you say to a little snooze?" I tried to imitate him, but could not get to sleep. A road ran through the wood, about a hundred yards away. Endless vehicles passed along it in an incessant string. My foot was not hurting me now. Why shouldn't I push on as far as that? As I skirted our piles of arms I noticed an open haversack sprawling on its back apart from the others. Some undergarments were hanging out, and a squad book, and one or two other oddments were lying in the grass a little farther on.