Then Sainte Claire said to me, 'The Boches are
coming. Take half of your potatoes and bring them down here.' I had a
beautiful pile of potatoes, Madame, just harvested. But I took only half
and put them in a sack and stuffed it with hay. For thirteen months,
Madame, I slept on those potatoes. Then Sainte Claire said, 'Take half
your wine, and put it down the well.' I wanted to hide it all, but she
said 'No, take only half.' And I sunk one hundred bottles, Madame, of my
best wine in the well. The Boches came. Five of them came to my house.
Five _grands gaillards_ with square heads. Oh, they are ugly, Madame!
'Show us your wine,' they ordered. 'It is there, Messieurs, in the
cellar,' I answered meek as a lamb. And they all began drinking till
they were drunk. Then one of them dragged me down here by the arm, and
for thirteen months, Madame, I lived in this hole with Sainte Claire
while they possessed my house. They made me cook for them, the animals;
but I should have starved, Madame, if I had not had my potatoes. Then
the French began their bombardment. Ah, it was terrible, Madame, to be
bombarded by one's friends. I did not leave this cave, and I prayed and
prayed, 'Sainte Claire, save me once more!' and Sainte Claire replied,
'The French are coming. We shall not be hurt.' One morning it was
suddenly quiet: the cannon had stopped. I listened and heard nothing,
and I came up into my house. It was empty, Madame. The Boches had gone.
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