170
PARTISAN REVIEW
Toward midnight we arrived
at,
Puiseaux. The little town was pitch
black, and filled to overflowing with refugees, most of them from Paris.
Cars stood everywhere. Families and small groups lay in the streets (one
stumbled over them in the dark), but especially under rows of trees
opposite a gas works and in the two squares. The inhabitants were pack·
ing their things and anyone who asked for shelter or even for water was
rudely refused. Many of the inhabitants .
had
already gone, leaving behind
them locked houses. Hungry dogs wandered through the streets, howling.
Before a wide house door through which could be seen a lighted storeroom
filled with all kinds of food: canned goods, rice, grain, flour, bottles of
mineral water, etc.-stood a soldier. My woman companion and I saw
the proprietor and spoke to
him.
Q:
Do you have a corner here in which we could spend the night?
A: Go away. This isn't a hotel.
Q:
If
there were a hotel nobody would come to you. We've been traveling
all day, and we've been shot at all day. The lady is at the end of her
strength and must get some sleep.
A: So much the worse for her.
Q:
The storehouse is big enough for three dozen people.
A: I'm locking it up in an hour.
Q:
But you can let it stay open. Three dozen people can sleep in it.
A: Clear out of here. I'm packing my things and getting out in an hour.
Q:
Don't
be
a pig.
If
you're going away anyhow, you can leave the store-
room open.
A: So that the spies
(les espions)
will steal everything.
Q:
What spies?
A: This pack of refugees, these dirty Parisians, these looters.
Q:
Have you gone crazy? Why don't you stay here then?
A: The Boches are coming.
Q:
And you think they'll watch over your store?
A: Clear out. You're taking up my time. I have to go. The Boches are
coming.
At this point the soldier interfered. He was flushed with irritalion
and
in such a rage thal tears stood in
his
eyes.
Soldier: (loudly, to the Proprietor)
You scoundrels ought to have your
heads bashed in, you dirty, miserly hogs! I wanted a glass of water,
and some dog asked me 20 francs for it.
Proprietor:
Clear out, you! I have to pack. The Boches are coming!
I:
But let us sleep here. You ass, don't you realize that your storeroom is
safer with someone in
it
than if you lock it up. There are thousands
of hungry people around here. Do you really think they're going to
be afraid to break in and eat up your goods?
Proprietor:
Out of my way! The Boches are coming. I'd rather have the
Boches here with me gone than give you lousy refugees anything.
The soldier
had
no ammunition; otherwise he would ha11e shot
the
man down without the slightest hesitation.
The next day several shops in the place were forced open. Puiseaux
