We should have liked to go to the front.
Marcassin, housed in the company office, was never far away, and kept an eye on us in silence.

One day I was sharply rebuked by him for having turned the water on in the lavatory at a time other than placarded.

Detected, I had to stand before him at attention.

He asked me in coarse language if I knew how to read, talked of punishment, and added, "Don't do it again!" This tirade, perhaps justified on the whole, but tactlessly uttered by the quondam Petrolus, humiliated me deeply and left me gloomy all the day.

Some other incidents showed me that I no longer belonged to myself.
* * * * * * One day, after morning parade, when the company was breaking off, a Parisian of our section went up to Marcassin and asked him, "Adjutant, we should like to know if we are going away." The officer took it in bad part.