His great grandfather hadfought at Waterloo under Napoleon I. I decided to
receive my money at the post office without the sergeant. Four men and
asergeant were chosen every day to do picket duty.
All these questions had been
asked behind my back, sometimeswithin hearing distance.
They resented being
called down and insulted by petty Germanofficers. What is the life of a poor
Arab in the Legion?
When my turn came theColonel screeched in his falsetto
voice: And so you are ajournalist? I bet the Colonel knows what he is here for.
Why didnt you go to the exercises to-day? The targets were at the further end
of the field. The French-speaking negro was anenormously tall fellow, whom the
sergeant called the cigone. He could not speak French clearly and was furious
if asoldier did not understand him.
Even that was difficult forthe slouchy
devil-may-care boys and men.
The Corsican corporal spoke of him quite openly as
thatassassin. These men, who detested the French and all that was French,
seemed tobe standing in mock-salute. Everything in the Legion was based upon
German discipline and Germanmilitaristic ideas. He had very little to say toany
one, was civil enough and did his work well. They resented being called down
and insulted by petty Germanofficers.
The keeping in step was kept up while
marchingthrough the streets of Bel-Abbès. He told me he had applied to be
returned to England but hadnot succeeded.
How thiswould have worked with a
loaded gun, and when the time for shootingcame, is another matter. The keeping
in step was kept up while marchingthrough the streets of Bel-Abbès. Even that
was difficult forthe slouchy devil-may-care boys and men.
The roads were
muddy,the thick red clay sticking to the boots most persistently.
And woe to
the man who did not lend to the sergeant when thatindividual needed it. I
decided to receive my money at the post office without the sergeant.
When my
turn came theColonel screeched in his falsetto voice: And so you are
ajournalist?
They drew their revolvers, and at pistols endsaw him back to
barracks and into prison. How thiswould have worked with a loaded gun, and when
the time for shootingcame, is another matter. The day for the official
presentation to the Colonel arrived. Next morning we marched out to the field
and the General camegalloping up an hour late. When my turn came theColonel
screeched in his falsetto voice: And so you are ajournalist?
What is the life
of a poor Arab in the Legion?
It is like nursing a viper at ones breast.
The
Captain jumped up, told him to shut up, to leave the room, butFenet wasnt
leaving it.
The keeping in step was kept up while marchingthrough the streets
of Bel-Abbès.
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