"We'll lend 'em our tooth-brushes!" said Judsi.
They were not so delighted about it, when they heard that some more men had been killed there, four or five apparently, including Sépot, the chief laboratory man, a good sort, whom everybody loved.
"If this sorter thing goes on," Lamalou said, "there won't be many of us by the time we gets to Paris!"
The stoppage was prolonged. I got out and walked up and down for a little while. The sky was overcast, and there was no moon. I got back. Our train hooted dismally in the darkness, like a ship in distress.
I fell asleep, and we started off again, and went bumping drowsily on our way.
We woke up at dawn to find we had halted again, and were not to go on for an hour at least. The cooks were getting coffee ready. There was an autumnal feeling in the air. It was bitterly cold, and we stamped our feet. It was a characteristic landscape, with its billows of bald hillocks studded with little woods of conventional shapes.... The surroundings of the Camp de Châlons.
De Valpic was shivering and stayed in his waggon. Guillaumin said to me below his breath:
"I wonder—if I'm dreaming?"
"Why?"