THE BATTLE OF FRANCE
All I can remember is somebody saying that the
English chaplain had very dark hair/
'Who is your friend?'
'An English journalist/
'What's his name?'
'I don't know. You see, I only saw him one
evening in the cafe and these English names are
difficult to remember. ... He has a very thin neck.
Anyway, he's not the only one who's been spreading
the rumour. There's a French soldier, as well, and
I know him very well indeed/
'Go and fetch him/
Two hours or so later the informant returns with
the soldier.
'Is it you who've heard the Germans announcing
that the Headquarters of the Nth division are at
'Yes, sir. Well. . . no, I didn't hear it myself.
I sleep in the barracks and have no wireless. It was
my wife. . . /
'Go and get your wife/
'Just a moment, sir. I remember now that it
wasn't her. It was a neighbour who told her all
about it.. . /
'Go and get the neighbour then. . . /
And so for hours do we stalk the rumour, but in
vain.
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