It took the sharp orders of
their officers to move them. Shells from the German guns began to fall
along the fringe of the troops, but thousands slept heavily on.
John, after disposing of the excellent rations offered to him, sat down
on the grass with Wharton, Carstairs and Lord James Ivor. The sun was
now waning, but the western sky was full of gold, and the yellow rays
slanting across the hills and fields made them vivid with light. Lord
James handed his glasses to John with the remark:
"Would you like to take a look there toward the east, Scott?"
John with the help of the glasses discerned the English batteries in
action. He saw the men working about them, the muzzles pointing upward,
and then the flash. Some of the guns were completely hidden in foliage,
and he could detect their presence only by the heavy detonations coming
from such points. Yet, like many of the English soldiers about him,
John's mind did not respond to so much battle. He looked at the flashes,
and he listened to the reports without emotion. His senses had become
dulled by it, and registered no impressions.
"We've masked our batteries as much as possible," said Lord James. "The
Germans are great fellows at hiding their big guns. They use every clump
of wood, hay stacks, stray stacks and anything else, behind which you
could put a piece of artillery. They trained harder before the war, but
we'll soon be able to match 'em."
While Lord James was talking, John turned the glasses to the south and
watched the sky.
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