THE SILENCE OF
COLONEL BRAMBLE

BY ANDRÉ MAUROIS

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH

LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK : JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMXIX

WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES, ENGLAND.

TO
MY WIFE

THE SILENCE OF COLONEL BRAMBLE

CHAPTER I

The Highland Brigade was holding its regimental boxing match in a fine old Flemish barn in the neighbourhood of Poperinghe. At the end of the evening the general got on to a chair and, in a clear, audible voice, said:

"Gentlemen, we have to-day seen some excellent fighting, from which I think we may learn some useful lessons for the more important contest that we shall shortly resume; we must keep our heads, we must keep our eyes open, we must hit seldom but hit hard, and we must fight to a finish."