"On no account make known to our armies of the west [that is to say, the right wing, in Belgium] the checks sustained by our armies of the east [the left wing, in Lorraine]."
So much depended on those plans which Castelnau and Dubail and Foch—and very particularly Foch!—had frustrated.
Joffre realized what had been achieved. And on August 27 he issued the following "order of the day":
"The First and Second armies are at this moment giving an example of tenacity and of courage which the commander-in-chief is happy to bring to the knowledge of the troops under his orders.
"These two armies undertook a general offensive and met with brilliant success, until they hurled themselves at a barrier fortified and defended by very superior forces.
"After a retreat in perfect order, the two armies resumed the offensive and, combining their efforts, retook a great part of the territory they had given up.
"The enemy bent before them and his recoil enabled us to establish undeniably the very serious losses he had suffered.
"These armies have fought for fourteen days without a moment's respite, and with an unshakable confidence in victory as the reward of their tenacity.
"The general-in-chief knows that the other armies will be moved to follow the example of the First and Second armies."
Now, where were those other armies? And what were they doing?