We found Bunny struggling with the stove in the tiny kitchen, where she soon coaxed the kettle to boil and gave us a cup of tea.  Before our return journey to Hospital we were introduced to the Cure of St. Inglevert, who was half Irish and half French.  He spoke English well and gave a great deal of assistance in running the home, besides being both witty and amusing.

We visited the men who were having tea in their “refectory” under Cicely’s supervision, and once more returned to work at Lamarck.

CHAPTER IX

TYPHOIDS AGAIN, AND PARIS IN 1915

I was on night duty once more in the typhoid wards with Sister Moring when we had our third bad Zeppelin raid, which was described in the papers as “the biggest attempted since the beginning of the war.”  It certainly was a wonderful sight.

The tocsin was rung in the Place d’Armes about 11.30 p.m. followed by heavy gunfire from our now more numerous defences.  Almost simultaneously bomb explosions could be heard.  We hastily wrapped up what patients were well enough to move, and the orderlies carried them to the “cave.”  Returning across the yard one of them called out that there were three Zeppelins this time, but though the searchlights were playing, we saw no sign of them, and presently the “all clear” was sounded.

We had just got the patients from the cave back into bed again when half an hour later a second alarm was heard.  Our feelings on hearing this could only be described as “terse,” a favourite F.A.N.Y. expression.  If only the brutes would leave Hospitals alone instead of upsetting the patients like this.

The sky presented a wonderful spectacle.  Half a dozen searchlights were playing, and shells were continually bursting in mid-air with a dull roar.  On our way back from the cave where we had again deposited the patients, the searchlights suddenly focussed all three Zeppelins.  There they were like huge silver cigars gleaming against the stars.  They looked so splendid I couldn’t help wishing I was up in one.  It seemed impossible to connect death-dealing bombs with those floating silver shapes.  Shrapnel burst all round them, and then the Zepps. seemed suddenly to become alive, and they answered with machine guns, and the patter of bullets and shrapnel could be heard all around.  The Commander of one of the Zepps. apparently fearing his airship might be hit, must have given the order for all the bombs to be heaved overboard at once, for suddenly twenty-one fell simultaneously!  You can imagine what a sight it was to see those golden balls of fire falling through the air from the silver airship.  They fell in a field just outside the town near a little village called Les Barraques, the total bag being five cows!