by side . . . amazing how close they managed to
keep to each other, they had seldom been separated.
The Colonel's automatic had jammed; Jan was
thrusting his own weapon into his hand, then snatching
a rifle from a dying Armenian. Stop! Stop! it is God
you kill ... it is God. . . . Anfos also was mad for
there was no God — if there had been He must surely
have pitied those beasts, and that wounded boy with
the face- of a woman.

A battery had opened fire on their flank, they were
being forced back to the slopes of a wadi; they were
trying, to find cover among the rocks. The Colonel
was waiting for reinforcements . . . the Colonel
had lighted a cigarette . . . it was bad, this cross-fire,
very bad indeed. Now Toto was down. He squealed
like a pig, rolled over and over and squealed like a
pig, clutching at his guts. Do not make so much noise,
stop that squealing, it opens the wound, you fool!
Toto made one feel angry, squealing like a pig, one
felt angry as one dragged him to comparative safety.

They were reinforced. Was it morning or evening?
What blue eyes he had that young German gunner
standing there in the middle of five dead men . . .
his blue eyes looked vague, he appeared very stupid,
for he would not use that big mauser of his. And now
he was resting his hand on the gun; when he with-
drew it a part remained behind on the muzzle . . .
he was stupid indeed, staring down at his palm that
was burnt to the bone. He was dead like the rest . . .
yes, but who had killed him?
Bells . . . how strange to hear bells in battle.
And so faint they sounded, as though far away —
faint yet .clear. They were playing a Proven$al hymn:
cjesus Christ, the Shepherd, the Lamb, and the
Victim.5
477