Page:War's dark frame (IA warsdarkframe00camp).pdf/176

144 eruptions was the monstrous fortuitousness of nature.

A map that the officer had commenced to unfold was for the moment forgotten. Strangely it was possible to express curiosity, as if these things passed on a cinema screen.

“I suppose they're high explosives."

The ruddy head nodded.

Four more shells hurtled into the field, but only three volcanoes joined the black pall against the sky.

"Hello!

A dud!"

The cause of his satisfaction, the meaning of that word, were apparent. Somewhere in the field lay a shell, from the supposedly perfect German ammunition factories, which had failed to explode.

Others came too close for a civilian's comfort. We glanced at each jetty curtain. We studied the innumerable craters on the road. Doubtless, we all wondered if another would be formed too near at hand.

One experienced, even if one made no visible concession to the strain, a reluctance of the mind to grasp or hold details. One recalled with difficulty incidents only a few minutes past. In short, it had become necessary to drive the memory to its task. From officers and men I have learned