United States or Macao ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He hoped by diligently supplying the officers' messes in Brussels with poultry and vegetables that he and his assistants two corporals might be overlooked and not sent back into the fighting ranks. As to her daughters, after a few months of promiscuity a terrible time that Mme. Oudekens wanted to forget they had been assigned to the two corporals as their exclusive property.
From Villa Beau-séjour, Vivien Warren passed on to the Oudekens' farm, wondering what she would see Some fresh horror? But on the contrary, Mme. Oudekens looked years younger; indeed when Vivien first stood outside the house door, she had heard really hearty laughter coming from the orchard where the farmer's widow was pinning up clothes to dry.
She got in, and the soldier chauffeur whirled her away to the Villa Beau-séjour, beyond Tervueren. On her return she found her mother prostrate with bad news. Their nearest neighbour, Farmer Oudekens who had driven them into Brussels the preceding day had been executed in his own orchard only an hour ago.
They were both of them about to become mothers, and if no one interfered, as soon as this accursed War was over their men would marry them. "But," said Vivie, "suppose your husband and these corporals are married already, in Germany?" "Qu'est-ce-que ça fait?" said Mme. Oudekens. "C'est si loin." By making these little concessions she had already saved her youngest son from deportation to Germany.
There were, for example, the soldiers stationed at the Villa Beau-séjour and at the Oudekens' farm. Vivie had a growing desire to find out what had happened to her mother's property.
Warren, who was constantly in tears, descried waiting by the side of the road the widow of their farmer-neighbour, Madame Oudekens. She asked the orderly that they might stop and greet her. She approached. Mrs. Warren got out of the car so that she might more privately talk to her in Flemish.
Word Of The Day