It appeared to be completely empty, and yet there were two battalions of the ——­ Territorials quartered there.  The moon seemed to be amusing itself by casting the shadows of the houses on one side of the street upon the walls of the other side in fantastic shapes.

“Dismount.”

We had reached the spot where we were to leave our horses.  The men quickly unbuckled the blankets which were to help them to endure the weary hours of the following night.  They slung them over their shoulders, and we set off towards the towing-path of the canal.  We went very slowly, as we had at least seven or eight kilometres before us, and a walk of eight kilometres for troopers laden and dressed as we were is no light matter.

We found the towing-path.  Walking at that hour of the night is certainly not very alluring.  However, the view was not lacking in grandeur.  On either side of the canal the dark silhouettes of tall trees stood out against the sky.  Their shadows were reflected in the water, which gleamed with a metallic lustre in the moonshine.  How calm and silent it was!  Who would have thought we were at war?  Not a cannon-shot, not a rifle-shot, disturbed the peace of the night.  Yet, as a rule, there were no long intervals between the reports which reminded us of the serious work on hand.

That day it seemed as though some agreement had been come to by both sides to stop killing or trying to kill.  However touching such an agreement might be, it would also be somewhat disturbing, for one must always beware of an enemy who resorts so freely to tricks and traps of every kind.  It was as well not to celebrate Christmas too obtrusively.  Besides, I did not think we were the only ones keeping vigil at that hour.

From time to time we passed small groups of infantry, haggard, dusty, and heavily laden, marching in ranks with their arms slung, by threes or fours, without speaking, striding slowly, as though they were trying to measure the length of the road.  Some of them were carrying curious objects fastened to sticks:  pots or big cans, perhaps baskets.  Where they were going or what they were doing we did not ask.  Every man has his own job; if those fellows were going that way they had their orders, and nobody troubled himself about their object.  All was well.  The clattering of the Chasseurs on the uneven road lent a little life to the picture.  Perhaps they were talking together; but, if so, it was in an undertone, a whisper almost.

And suddenly the enemy let us know that he was also keeping watch.  Far ahead of us, near C., a rocket went up into the clear sky and then fell slowly, very slowly, in the form of an intensely brilliant ball, lighting up all the surrounding country wonderfully.  We knew them well, those formidable German rockets, which seemed as though they would never go out and shed a pallid and yet blinding light.  We knew that as soon as they were lighted everybody who happened to be within range of the enemy’s rifle fire had at once to lie flat on the ground, and not move or raise his head so long as the light was burning.  Otherwise shots would be fired from all directions, mowing down the vegetation and cutting up the earth all around him.  This time we were well outside the range, and we watched the dazzling star in front of us without halting.