I left them and went in search of some clean water. When I came back, tidied up and much refreshed, coffee had been brought. The tin drinking cups were plunged at will into the "dixeys." It was scalding! A real treat! There was "rooty" too. And the sun came out: we were reviving.
Soon, a circle formed round Lieutenant Henriot. In order to make himself pleasant Playoust had put certain questions to him concerning the strategical situation. The other at once owned that he had had certain hints from the colonel—oh, it was official then!—certain indications....
I drew near. He spread out a map on a seat, and began to speak with great fluency.... I tried for a moment to follow him, but disobliging shoulders got in the way. He was pointing out certain landmarks and routes, and giving the names of towns and villages. It was all a closed book to me! I got tired of it and went off; I was inclined to mistrust these perorations by a subaltern.
Our train was shunted back, and we started again.
I was tired and peevish, and fumed at the length of our journey. Eighteen hours already, and we were nowhere near the end!
Our destination still remained a mystery, a problem which disquieted us.
Guillaumin plumped for Sedan, and worried me to tell him what I thought.
"What on earth does it matter to me?"
"Do you think they'll come back as far as that?"
To annoy him, I said: