This timid breath kindles the dormant flame. Houdebine, who has a fractured knee, but who now expects to be fairly comfortable till the morning, at once responds and continues:
Marguerite! Marguerite!
The two sing in unison, with delighted smiles:
Si tu veux fair' mon bonheur
Marguerite! Marguerite!
Maville joins in at the second verse, and even Legras, whose two legs are broken, and the Chasseur Alpin, who has a hole in his skull.
Panchat, the man who had a bullet through his neck, beats time with his finger, because he is forbidden to speak.
All this goes on in low tones; but faces light up, and flush, as if a bottle of brandy had been passed round.
Then Houdebine turns to Panchat and says: "Will you have a game of dummy manilla, Panchat?"
Dummy manilla is a game for two; and they have to be content with games for two, because no one in this ward can get up, and communication is only easy for those in adjacent beds.
Panchat makes a sign of consent. Why should he not play dummy manilla, which is a silent game. A chair is put between the two beds, and he shuffles the cards.