"Oh no," they exclaimed, "that is impossible. Italy has declared war on France and we have just taken 250,000 Russian prisoners."
"And do you believe such tales?" I asked.
"We must believe what we are told."
When I asked them why they had attacked Belgium, I could get no other reply than the one word: "Necessity."
They were surprised, in their turn, that so many young men in Belgium were not under arms and they were proud of their own patriotism, which, beside the compulsory service, had given them 2,000,000 Volunteers. "We have 15,000,000 soldiers," they said.
"We are through with it, are we not, Doctor?" asked an officer in a jeering tone. I simply shrugged my shoulders in an evasive way. We were marching all the time and when we turned a corner, in the darkness, we always ran the risk of coming upon a field-gun which would mow down friends or enemies alike. From time to time we were grouped.
A soldier pushed me roughly and I protested.
"I am an officer, if you please," I said, and oh, discipline, he apologised!
Another soldier wanted me to carry his bag. I refused on the same ground, and he did not insist.
Gradually, the night became less dark and the dawn appeared. It was the pale dawn of a rainy day. About seven hundred yards away from us, in the indistinct light, we saw a woman and a child hurrying along, laden with packages. A few shots were fired.