"Nine hundred!"
"Nine hundred!" repeated the gunners.
Our infantry had doubtless retaken Lassigny. German shells were now bursting over the town, giving off clouds of yellow smoke.
"One thousand!"
We had at last found a more or less firm position for our gun, and our fire accelerated as the enemy fell back.
"Eleven hundred!"
"Twelve hundred!... Cease firing!"
The detachments piled up in front of the trenches the ejected cartridge-cases which strewed the field. Bullets still continued to hum over our heads, but the 77 mm. shells were now falling wide of the mark. We remained motionless at the bottom of our trenches. Every few minutes Hutin asked me:
"What time is it?"
When I told him he became impatient: