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TRENCH LIFE 321
be far more interesting to sec them with the soldiers in pos-
session. But when I happened to drop a hint to this effect,
the General dissuaded me very strongly from visiting his
fighting line. It would after all have been a great responsi-
bility for him to let me go there. At Monchy the foremost
German trenches were only eighty metres away from the
French, with the distance widening to the north and south.
The men can only be relieved after dark when the night is at
its blackest. But to-night the moon shone brightly and
hardly a sound was to be heard. It was eleven o’clock, and
there was probably no intention to relieve the men in the
trenches for another four or five hours. Even if the Germans
had crept along the ground like leopards through the grass,
the French would have seen their outlines and shadows.
The slightest rustle would reach their ears if they held their
breath and listened carefully ; for the French do most em-
phatically listen at night. They are exceedingly vigilant and
wakeful. If one is discovered before having time to reach
one’s trench and gain its welcome shelter, the bullets come
whizzing round in extra quick time. The greatest danger lies,
however, in the French fighting and scouting patrols, who are
thoroughly familiar with the ground and begin to prowl about
at nightfall.
To-night, the last night of this fateful month of October,
it was deemed impossible to relieve in the usual way. Only
one or two men were allowed to creep forward at a time.
When there is no moonlight or when the countryside is wrapped
in fog they can advance close together without danger. But
on a night such as this the risk was almost as great as in day-
light and the very greatest caution had to be observed. It
needs long and systematic training to move troops on moon-
light nights.
Even a man with uncommon grit and courage must feel a
certain amount of excitement as he crawls through the grass
on toes and elbows, particularly as he has his rifle to think
about as well. Now and again he has to pause, either because
this mode of locomotion is too tiring or because he has to
take his bearings and listen. Then he proceeds a little further,
holds his breath and listens and peers round like a tiger on
the prowl. Everything is still, but at any moment he may
hear the rattle of rifle fire and the ping of bullets. At last he
sees the trench before him like a long dark line. Will he get
V
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