Henriot must have got wind of this reply, for his was identical. The third one, Delafosse, we knew nothing about him; nobody thought about him. But Breton, when he was invited, did not turn up his nose at it, and came to revive himself by us. He congratulated us:
"These bachelors knew how to look after themselves—and no mistake!"
And what about the Playoust set. De Valpic having timidly suggested that we might—Guillaumin exploded:
"Never! Low-down cads like that! Why they'd let us starve without turning a hair."
I backed him up, and De Valpic said no more.
We three each put part of the remains on one side. It was rather shocking, I admitted to myself, to be thinking of our future hunger, when comrades at hand were suffering the pangs of present hunger.
But after all! I had done enough for others to last me for one day!
I had gone out into the yard again. It was almost deserted now, but I came across Humel. He pretended not to see me. His cap, which was cocked over one ear, gave him a cheeky look, but I caught sight of his haggard face and sunken cheeks by the light of one of the bonfires which was still smouldering. I turned round:
"I say, Humel!"