"Well, d'Ursel," I said, "how do you feel?"
Before he had even opened his eyes, he answered: "Ah, it is you, Major?"
I was surprised to see that his eyes were clear and animated.
"Are you suffering much?" I asked.
"No, not much," he answered.
"I have given orders that you are to be taken to the relief post," I said. "With good care, you will soon be yourself again." He thanked me and then said: "If I should not get through, will you tell my wife that my last thought was of her."
I promised, but assured him that his wound was not at all grave and that the doctors would soon dress it. On seeing him perfectly conscious and calm, able to talk quite easily, I hoped that the ball had only gone round the skull, and that the wound at the back of the head was merely a slit caused by the exit of the projectile. On leaving him, I gave orders for the removal of the wounded man. Unfortunately, the order could not be carried out, as the German attack now became more violent and more decisive. The enemy's shrapnels reached our trenches and the number of the assailants increased every minute. At the chapel, the observation post had been compelled to fall back, and there were masses of enemy foot-soldiers there, who were being mown down by our machine-gun and by the platoons of Lieutenant de Jonghe and of Lieutenant d'Ursel. It was then a quarter past nine. A fresh order now reached me: "In case the river should be forced, rally at Vroen.—Colonel 1st Guides."
As I had previously received instructions to hold out to the uttermost, I considered it was my duty to resist still. My men were behaving admirably, but some of them declared that they heard balls whistling behind them.
"You are mistaken," I said to them, "what you hear are the balls against the walls of the houses near."
Our machine-gun was now choked and could not be used for a time. Quartermaster Bonnejonne was wounded. Lieutenant de Jonghe managed to repair the mechanism of the gun and went on firing himself.