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"Well, if you'll give us some good information, we won't shoot you," said the French officer. "Information," replied the German, "I can't give you any. I come from Etain, and you know where that is as well as I do." "No, you must give us some worth-while information, or I'm afraid you'll be shot," insisted the Frenchman.
From Metz we marched through Thionville, Châtelet, Etain, Dannevoux, Yong, Vivier, and Cul-de-Sard. All our troops were pouring into Belgium cavalry, infantry, and artillery and though there were no signs of the enemy, it was reported that we were to attack the English. I thought as well English as Prussians, Austrians, or Russians, since we were to kill each other.
They pushed forward in the north to Etain, and took the hills on the right bank of the Orne, which hampered their enemy in his use of the Etain-Conflans railroad.
Sometimes, laying books aside, he told us old tales that he had heard from his mother, who in turn had heard them from hers of the Red Etain of Ireland who lived in Belligand, and who stole the King's daughter, the King of fair Scotland; and the pathetic tale of the bannock that went to see the world, with its cynical end: "Ah, well! We'll all be in the tod's hole in less than a hunner years."
The French with their larger forces and greater experience were perhaps somewhat more fortunate, but their local successes in the Woevre and Alsace had no more effect upon the general situation. Early in April a series of attacks, spread over five days and hampered by snowstorms, gave them the plateau of Les Éparges on the northern side of the St. Mihiel wedge and enabled them to advance towards Étain on the road from Verdun to Metz. The importance they attached to these operations is shown by their claim on 10 April that at Les Éparges the Germans in two months had had losses amounting to 30,000. Progress was also made along the southern side of the wedge between St. Mihiel and Pont-
Here is the description of Etain: "A clear comb of silver was held in her hand, the comb was adorned with gold; and near her, as for washing, was a basin of silver whereon four birds had been chased, and there were little bright gems of carbuncles on the rim of the basin.
"'Yes, monsieur, I know it well, as well as I know my own pocket, and I wait only for an opportunity to serve you and my country. "'Well spoken. My son, the opportunity is at hand. From what you tell me I take it that the Germans went toward the forest yonder where the road from Etain passes. Is that right? "'Yes, monsieur, the big road from Verdun. But there is still another road to Etain.
One evening, when returning from a near-by village, I met a frock-coated civilian who inquired of me in German the way to Etain. I asked him who he was and what he wanted. He answered that he was a German but was tired of his country and wished to go almost anywhere else. He seemed altogether too apparent to be a spy, and even if he were I could not make out any object that he could gain.
'Would that I were in the Isle of Apples, Mell Moy, far, far from civilisation! said Blake. "There shall be no grief there or sorrow," so sings the minstrel of The Wooing of Etain. "Fresh flesh of swine, banquets of new milk and ale shalt thou have with me then, fair lady," Merton read out from the book he had been speaking of to the Budes. 'Jolly place, the Celtic Paradise!
Thus, my officer, we may reach Etain before the Boches do. "'That will be fine, said the captain. "'Yes, monsieur. But what if the Boches should change their mind and wait for us? Surely you will not blame the little Lucien? He cannot read the mind of a Boche when the Boche is out of sight. "'No, we shall not blame you.
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