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Updated: June 24, 2025
Then things were not going as well as the now very reticent papers led one to suppose. But it all seemed so very distant that I refused to worry. However, I was about to seek out Madame Guix and tell her what George had reported when an amusing sight caught my eye. From her open window, towards which she had asked that we push her bed, Yvonne amused herself by calling her ducklings.
"As you will, Monsieur," I said, and the weary boys were wakened and hurried off before we had time to ask names, addresses or any further details. All this had transpired so rapidly that we had had no time to call in our assistants, and presently Madame Guix and I found ourselves alone in the empty vestibule. Nothing further happened that afternoon.
On my return great excitement reigned around our gate, for a private automobile containing wounded had halted on seeing our Red Cross flag, and Madame Guix welcomed them in. They were petit blesses, all able to travel, probably suffering more from heat and privation than from their wounds.
Anxious that no one leave without a cup of hot coffee, Madame Guix and I repaired to the kitchen as dawn broke, and an hour later we bade farewell to our "lodgers for a night." I bethought me of my kodak, and as the sun peeped through the clouds I caught a snapshot of my departing guests as they turned the corner of the chateau.
And so before he would let us touch his wound, we had to feel in his breast pocket and draw forth a wallet from which he produced the cherished photographs. At length we completed his bandaging and I left Madame Guix to add the finishing touches and went to the kitchen where Soeur Laurent was standing over a huge range, ladling soup from two immense copper boilers.
Madame Guix then counted the number of persons composing our party, and sent Nini to fetch as many blankets and pillows. These, with a box containing salt, sugar, chocolate, and other dry provisions, a valise packed with a few bandages and a little medicine, were put onto a little light farm-cart to which we might harness Cesar in case of great emergency.
To cap the climax of misfortune, old Cesar had run a nail into his hoof and Madame Guix spent most of her time between injections of oxygen on the first floor, and iodine and flaxseed poultices in the stables. This of course meant that all errands outside the village must be made on bicycle, and George was "mustered into service."
The others came clattering down all excitement, saying that Madame Guix had been recognized by her uniform and sent flying to the hospital. Just then a shadow barred the entrance door and turning I saw an army chauffeur standing there. "A piece of bread for God's sake," he begged. "What?" "Yes, I'm nearly dead of hunger. We've had no time to cook our food, and bread has been lacking for two days."
"She hasn't eaten anything since yesterday." And stretching out her arms, the woman showed us an infant that she had been carrying in her apron. It was dead. I had difficulty in overcoming my emotion, but Madame Guix took the poor little corpse into her arms, and I helped the mother to an arm chair in the refectory.
Suppose the chateau should suddenly become the target for the German guns? Well, we could all take to the cellars, as the others had done in 1870. But and here was the point suppose the French took possession and gave us women but a few minutes to leave before the battle began. Then what! Here was food for reflection. I resolved to take Madame Guix and the two boys into my confidence.
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