102 STORIES FROM DAUDET

that I hid my head in the leaves, but I
heard the wounded creature drink the
water, gasping, as if burnt with fever.

The day closed in. The firing re-
ceded and became less frequent. Then
all was still. It was over. So we
returned softly to the field to gather
news of our company. In passing
before the little house in the wood I
saw something horrible.

On the edge of a ditch, hares with
red coats and little gray rabbits with
white tails, lay side by side. The little
paws crossed by death seemed to ask
for mercy, the dimmed eyes seemed
to weep; then there were red par-
tridges, gray partridges which had the
horseshoe mark like my comrade, and
the young birds of the year, which had
down under their wings like me. Do
you know anything sadder than a dead
bird? The wings are so full of life!
To see them folded and cold makes
one shiver. A great roebuck, proud
and dignified, looked as though sleep-