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lying abandoned in the mud； motor…cyclists ploughing swift furrows through the mud； rolling it back in liquid streams each side of them； staff cars rushing screaming through the mud； followed by a rushing fountain of mud； serried ranks of muddy men stamping through the mud with steady rhythm； moving through a rain of mud； rising upward from the ground； long lines of motor… buses filled with a mass of muddy humanity packed shoulder to shoulder； rumbling ever through the endless mud。
Men sitting by the roadside in the mud； gnawing at unsavoury food； men squatting by the ditches； examining their sores； washing their bleeding feet in the muddy water； replacing the muddy rags about their wounds。
A world without colour。 No other colour to be seen beneath the sky but mud。 The very buttons on the men's coats painted to make them look like mud。
Mud and dirt！ Dirty faces； dirty hands； dirty clothes； dirty food； dirty beds； dirty interiors； from which there was never time to wash the mud； dirty linen hanging up to dry； beneath which dirty children played； while dirty women scolded。 Filth and desolation all around。 Shattered farmsteads half buried in the mud； shattered gardens trampled into mud。 A weary land of foulness； breeding foulness； tangled wire the only harvest of the fields； mile after mile of gaping holes； filled with muddy water； stinking carcases of dead horses； birds of prey clinging to broken fences； flapping their great wings。
A land where man died； and vermin increased and multiplied。 Vermin on your body； vermin in your head； vermin in your food； vermin waiting for you in your bed； vermin the only thing that throve； the only thing that looked at you with bright eyes； vermin the only thing to which the joy of life had still been left。
Joan had found a liking gradually growing up in her for the quick… moving； curt…tongued doctor。 She had dismissed him at first as a mere butcher： his brutal haste； his indifference apparently to the suffering he was causing； his great； strong； hairy hands； with their squat fingers； his cold grey eyes。 But she learnt as time went by； that his callousness was a thing that he put on at the same time that he tied his white apron round his waist； and rolled up his sleeves。
She was resting； after a morning of grim work； on a bench outside the hospital； struggling with clenched； quivering hands against a craving to fling herself upon the ground and sob。 And he had found her there； and had sat down beside her。
〃So you wanted to see it with your own eyes；〃 he said。 He laid his hand upon her shoulder； and she had some difficulty in not catching hold of him and clinging to him。 She was feeling absurdly womanish just at that moment。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃And I'm glad that I did it；〃 she added； defiantly。
〃So am I；〃 he said。 〃Tell your children what you have seen。 Tell other women。〃
〃It's you women that make war；〃 he continued。 〃Oh； I don't mean that you do it on purpose； but it's in your blood。 It comes from the days when to live it was needful to kill。 When a man who was swift and strong to kill was the only thing that could save a woman and her brood。 Every other man that crept towards them through the grass was an enemy； and her only hope was that her man might kill him； while she watched and waited。 And later came the tribe； and instead of the one man creeping through the grass； the everlasting warfare was against all other tribes。 So you loved only the men ever ready and willing to fight； lest you and your children should be carried into slavery： then it was the only way。 You brought up your boys to be fighters。 You told them stories of their gallant sires。 You sang to them the songs of battle： the glory of killing and of conquering。 You have never unlearnt the lesson。 Man has learnt comradeshipwould have travelled further but for you。 But woman is still primitive。 She would still have her man the hater and the killer。 To the woman the world has never changed。〃
〃Tell the other women；〃 he said。 〃Open their eyes。 Tell them of their sons that you have seen dead and dying in the foolish quarrel for which there was no need。 Tell them of the foulness； of the cruelty； of the senselessness of it all。 Set the women against War。 That is the only way to end it。〃
It was a morning or two later that； knocking at the door of her loft； he asked her if she would care to come with him to the trenches。 He had brought an outfit for her which he handed to her with a grin。 She had followed Folk's advice and had cut her hair； and when she appeared before him for inspection in trousers and overcoat； the collar turned up about her neck； and reaching to her helmet； he had laughingly pronounced the experiment safe。
A motor carried them to where the road ended； and from there； a little one…horse ambulance took them on to almost the last trees of the forest。 There was no life to be seen anywhere。 During the last mile； they had passed through a continuous double line of graves； here and there a group of tiny crosses keeping one another company； others standing singly； looking strangely lonesome amid the torn…up earth and shattered trees。 But even these had ceased。 Death itself seemed to have been frightened away from this terror… haunted desert。
Looking down； she could see thin wreaths of smoke； rising from the ground。 From underneath her feet there came a low； faint； ceaseless murmur。
〃Quick；〃 said the doctor。 He pushed her in front of him； and she almost fell down a flight of mud…covered steps that led into the earth。 She found herself in a long； low gallery； lighted by a dim oil lamp； suspended from the blackened roof。 A shelf ran along one side of it； covered with straw。 Three men lay there。 The straw was soaked with their blood。 They had been brought in the night before by the stretcher…bearers。 A young surgeon was rearranging their splints and bandages； and redressing their wounds。 They would lie there for another hour or so； and then start for their twenty kilometre drive over shell…ridden roads to one or another of the great hospitals at the base。 While she was there； two more cases were brought in。 The doctor gave but a glance at the first one and then made a sign； and the bearers passed on with him to the further end of the gallery。 He seemed to understand； for he gave a low； despairing cry and the tears sprang to his eyes。 He was but a boy。 The other had a foot torn off。 One of the orderlies gave him two round pieces of wood to hold in his hands while the young surgeon cut away the hanging flesh and bound up the stump。
The doctor had been whispering to one of the bearers。 He had the face of an old man； but his shoulders were broad and he looked sturdy。 He nodded； and beckoned Joan to follow him up the slippery steps。
〃It is breakfast time；〃 he explained； as they emerged into the air。 〃We leave each other alone for half an houreven the snipers。 But we must be careful。〃 She followed in his footsteps； stooping so low that her hands could have touched the ground。 They had to be sure that they did not step off the narrow track marked with white stones； lest they should be drowned in the mud。 They passed the head of