if he would give me a ride back to
Ypres. When I got in, I said to him quite innocently, "Is this a
general retreat?" His nerves were evidently on edge, and he turned on
me fiercely, saying, "Padre, never use such a word out here. That word
must never be mentioned at the front." I replied, in excuse, that I
had been told it was a retreat by a battery that was coming back from
the front. "Padre," he continued, "that word must never be used." I am
not sure that he did not enforce his commands by some strong
theological terms. "Padre, that word must never be used out here."
"Well," I said, "this is the first war I have ever been at, and if I
can arrange matters it is the last, but I promise you I will never use
it again." Not the least flicker of a smile passed over his face. Of
course, as time went on and I advanced in military knowledge, I came
to know the way in which my question ought to have been phrased.
Instead of saying, "Is this a general retreat?", I ought to have said,
"Are we straightening the line?" or "Are we pinching the Salient?" We
went on till we came to a general who was standing by the road (p. 060)
waiting to "straighten the line". I got out of the car and asked him
where I should go. He seemed to be in a great hurry and said gruffly,
"You had better go back to your lines." I did not know where they
were, but I determined to go in their direction. The general got into
the car which turned round and made off towards Vlamertinghe, and I,
after a long and envious look in his direction, continued my return to
Ypres.

People were still pouring out of the City. I recrossed the bridge, and
making my way towards the cemetery, met two men of one of our
battalions who were going back. I handed them each a card with my
address on it and asked them, in case of my being taken prisoner, to
write and tell my family that I was in good health and that my kit was
at Mr. Vandervyver's on the Quai. The short cut to my billet led past
the quiet cemetery where our two comrades had been laid to rest. It
seemed so peaceful that I could not help envying them that their race
was won.

It was dark now, but a bright moon was shining and lit up the waters
of the branch canal as I walked along the bank towards my home. The
sound of firing at the front was continuous and showed that a great
battle was raging. I went by the house where the C.O. of the 16th
Battalion had had his headquarters as I passed that afternoon. It was
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