Andyou, Wolters, he said turning to him, are not to
do it any more. Be glad that I am nothaving you punished for presuming to speak to
me. The officersand soldiers walked behind the hearse four abreast.
Next day an order came that the sergeant wanted to
see me and Wolters.
Five oclock was the hour for going out, and so he
seemed todelight in being late in his office. He never looked a man in the eyes, and
he had ahunted look about him.
The outgoingletters underwent the same inspection.
When Ilooked round Wolters had already left the room.
All these questions had been asked behind my back,
sometimeswithin hearing distance. Opposite the door was a large window with
old-fashionedsmall square panes. He had beenwounded in Gallipoli and never
recovered.
He reportedit also in an unofficial way to the
Danish lieutenant, who in turnspoke to the Captain.
And woe to the man who did not lend to the sergeant
when thatindividual needed it.
Finally the coffin was borneout by soldiers, and
placed on a hearse. I watched from the window how all the petitioners were lined
up,standing at attention. His face was horribly pockmarked from the syphilis he had
contracted.
And woe to the man who did not lend to the sergeant
when thatindividual needed it. I answered that I had told what I had seen with my
owneyes.
The moment he got it he would go to thecanteen and
not stop until his last penny was drunk away.
He called it piffle and stupid sentimentality to
fight shy ofanything.
He had very little to say toany one, was civil
enough and did his work well.