there that appear now black like crows
and now white like gulls, according to the play of the light, clouds of
bursting shrapnel stipple the azure, and seem like a long flight of
snowflakes in the sunshine.

As we are going back, two strollers come up--Carassus and Cheyssier.
They announce that mess-man Pepere is going to the rear, to be sent to
a Territorial regiment, having come under the operation of the Dalbiez
Act.

"That's a hint for Blaire," says Carassus, who has a funny big nose in
the middle of his face that suits him ill.

In the village groups of poilus go by, or in twos, joined by the
crossing bonds of converse. We see the solitary ones unite in couples,
separate, then come together again with a new inspiration of talk,
drawn to each other as if magnetized.

In the middle of an excited crowd white papers are waving. It is the
newspaper hawker, who is selling for two sous papers which should be
one sou. Fouillade is standing in the middle of the road, thin as the
legs of a hare. At the corner of a house Paradis shows to the sun face
pink as ham.

Biquet joins us again, in undress, with a jacket and cap of the police.
He is licking his chops: "I met some pals and we've had a drink. You
see, to-morrow one starts scratching again, and cleaning his old rags
and his catapult. But my greatcoat!--going to be some job to filter
that! It isn't a greatcoat any longer--it's armor-plate."

Montreuil, a clerk at the office, appears and hails Biquet: "Hey,
riff-raff! A letter! Been chasing you an hour. You're never to be
found, rotter!"

"Can't be both here and there, looney. Give us a squint." He examines
the letter, balances it in his hand, and announces as he tears the
envelope, "It's from the old woman."

We slacken our pace. As he reads, he follows the lines with his finger,
wagging his head with an air of conviction, and his lips moving like a
woman's in prayer.

The throng increases the nearer we draw to the middle of the village.
We salute the commandant and the black-skirted padre who walks by the
other's side like his nurse. We are questioned by Pigeon, Guenon, young
Escutenaire, and Chasseur Clodore. Lamuse appears blind and deaf, and
concerned only to walk.

Bizouarne, Chanrion, and Roquette arrive excitedly to announce big
news--"D'you know, Pepere's going to the rear."

"Funny," says Biquet, raising his nose from his letter, "how people kid
themselves. The old woman's bothered about me!" He sh