Subject: diagnosis

From: "Davy Shea" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 11:17:56 +0300

Any animal, even a pig, has a smell which can be endured,but man, when dirty, is beyond endurance.
He showed it tothe doctor, but he would not give him permission.
He talked incessantly toany one who was willing to listen to him.
Death is great goodfortune compared to any of these conditions. He was ordered before the Captain:Why did you refuse to obey the sergeant-majors orders? What had happened I never found out, but I felt I had had a closeshave.
I was about the third or fourth in the line. Bouligny was at Valbonne for training soldiers and for a rest.
How I longed to be a passenger on one of them, bound forthose distant Alps! Even the forgedpermissions were obtainable through the sergeants. On enquiry I found that there was no mistake and that I mustget ready. If every one had your good-will, and were like you, and knew evenless, we would be all right.
As to the boots, no one made any attempt to keep themclean in these mud puddles.
And then they spoke of the admirableway some had deserted. The next daywe had to unlearn the method again with some one else. Finally towards nine oclock we were ready to march.
The restaurants, shops and drinking placeslive on the soldiers. He spoke English very well, and while we weremarching we chatted.
They were all ajolly lot and immediately insisted upon treating to drinks. Noticket was sold without showing a travel-permission from theCommander.
It was undoubtedly the nicest and truest expression offeeling I had seen in the Legion.
I could notafford to have anything against me when about to ask for a three dayspermission.
I packed my little toilet case, Casey lentme the few sous it takes to go to Lyons, and I started.
He never murmuredor had anything to say, he was quite apathetic. Why he had taken such an obviousdislike to me I could not make out.
Heavy munition trains rolled by incessantly on the railway tracks nextto the camp.
We think we can get along with French and that every educated personought to know our language.
Casey was a very decent fellow, with an extraordinarily charmingvoice. The man on my otherside was French, an old Legionnaire who had been at Bel-Abbès. By this time it was nearly eleven and we were thoroughlydrenched.
I went to the infirmary to inquire for him.