Their first thought for victory.
I, personally, received such answers from wounded who came to us from the Chemin-des-Dames, or from the fort of Malmaison. When I asked for news, my mind preoccupied with their individual sufferings, their first thought was to tell me of the victory. The ordinary French phrase for "How are you? Comment ça va-t-il?" (literally: How goes it?) may apply to an event or to a person. This being so, it is never of himself that the newly-wounded soldier thinks, but of what is interesting to everybody—the common success. I went to welcome a patient brought in October 26th and asked: "You came tonight?"
"Yes, Father."
"Not too tired by the journey?"
"No, not too much."
"What wound?"
"Jaw pierced by a bullet, arm broken, wound in the thigh."
"How goes it?"
The wounded are delighted with the success of the attack.
"Very well! The wounded who came to the hospital at the front were delighted, we had gotten everything we were trying for!"