In other places the Germans were not even put to the trouble of despoiling the people, who of their own free will sacrificed to the new-comers. They mistook them for English soldiers. In Festieux, for instance, not far from us, the urchins of the village cried out:
"The English are coming!"
And the peasants crowded about them. They had already stripped themselves for the French, but all the same they were eager to welcome the Allies. And they poured out wine and coffee, they offered fruit and biscuits. The woman who told us this story, after she had shared a whole pail of lemonade among "those poor boys who were so hot," went to the tallest of the band, a man with gold lace, and, in a very loud voice so that he might understand French the better, said to him:
"Well, as a reward, you will bring us William's head!"
The man spread out his face in a broad grin, and, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, answered:
"We no English, we Germans...."
Tableau!
This comical scene had its tragic side. In the same village were still two French foot soldiers. A kindly soul ran to call them.
"Come quick, there are English soldiers here! We are all brothers."
Smiling, the soldiers came up.