Suddenly, it was he who pushed her away. "I won't take you by force. I'm not a drunken boor… Just go."
But the chiffon ties of her dress were caught on the officer's metal buttons. Slowly, his hands shaking, he freed her. She, meanwhile, was looking anxiously towards the house. The first lamps were being lit. Would Madame Angellier remember to close both sets of curtains so the fugitive's silhouette couldn't be seen through the window? People weren't careful enough on these beautiful June evenings. Secrets were revealed through open bedroom windows, where anyone could see in. People weren't careful enough… They could distinctly hear the English radio coming from a neighbouring house; the cart passing by on the road was full of contraband; weapons were hidden in every home. His head bowed, Bruno held the long ties of her flowing belt in his hands.
"I thought…" he finally said sadly. He stopped, hesitated, then continued, "that you cared for me…"
"I thought so too."
"And you don't?"
"No. It cannot be."
She took a few steps back and stood slightly away from him. For a moment they just looked at each other. The heart-rending blast of a trumpet sounded: it was curfew. The German soldiers walked through groups of people in the village square. "Go along now. Time for bed," they said politely. The women protested and laughed. The trumpet blasted again. The locals went home. The Germans remained. The sound of their monotonous rounds was the only thing that would be heard until daybreak.
"It's curfew" said Lucile impassively. "I have to go back. I have to close all the windows. I was told yesterday at Headquarters that the light from the sitting room wasn't blocked out enough."
"As long as I'm here, you don't have to worry about anything. No one will bother you."
She didn't reply. She held out her hand to him; he kissed it and she walked back to the house. Long after midnight, he was still walking around in the garden. She could hear the brief, monotonous calls of the guards in the street, and beneath her window her jailor's slow, steady walk. Sometimes she thought, He loves me, he doesn't suspect anything, and sometimes, He's suspicious, he's watching, he's waiting.
It's such a shame, she thought in a sudden moment of honesty. It's such a shame, it was a beautiful night… a night made for love… We shouldn't have wasted it. The rest isn't important. But she stayed where she was; she didn't get out of her bed to go to the window. She felt bound and gagged-a prisoner-united with this captive land that dreamed and sighed softly with impatience; she let the empty night drift by.
21
The village had been looking cheerful all afternoon. In the square the soldiers had decorated the flagpoles with leaves and flowers, and on the balcony of the municipal hall, red and black banners with Gothic writing floated below the swastikas. It was a beautiful day. The flags and banners billowed in the soft, cool breeze. Two young soldiers with pink faces were pushing a cart full of roses.
"Are they for the tables?" the women asked, curious.
"Yes," the soldiers proudly replied. One of them picked out a rosebud and, with an exaggerated salute, offered it to a young girl, who blushed.
"It will be a wonderful party."
"Wir hoffen es. We hope so. We're going to a lot of trouble," the soldiers replied.
The cooks were working outdoors preparing pâtés and cakes for the dinner. To avoid the dust, they had set up beneath the great lime trees that surrounded the church. The head chef, in uniform but wearing a high hat and apron of dazzling white to protect his jacket, was putting the finishing touches to an enormous gâteau. He decorated it with cream swirls and candied fruit. The smell of sugar filled the air. The children squealed with delight. The head chef, bursting with pride but trying not to show it, frowned and scolded them: "All right, back up a bit, how do you expect us to work with you crowding around?" At first, the women pretended not to be interested in the cake. "Ugh!… It will be horrible… They don't have the right kind of flour…" Gradually, they moved closer, shyly at first, then more confidently. Eventually they found the audacity to start giving advice, as women do.
"Hey, Monsieur, there's not enough decoration on this side… you need some angelica."
They ended up helping. Pushing back the delighted children, they bustled about round the table with the Germans; one of them chopped the almonds; another crushed the sugar.
"Is it just for the officers? Or will the ordinary soldiers have some too?" they asked.
"It's for everyone, everyone."
"Everyone except us!" They sniggered.
The head chef raised the earthenware platter holding the enormous cake and with a little salute showed it to the crowd, who laughed and applauded. Then he carefully laid it on a huge wooden plank carried by two soldiers (one at the head, one at the foot) and they all set off for the château. Meanwhile, officers invited from all the regiments billeted in the area began to arrive. Their long green capes floated behind them. The shopkeepers stood in front of their doors, smiling at them. They had been bringing up their remaining supplies from the cellars since morning: the Germans were buying everything they had, and paying well. One officer snapped up the last few bottles of Benedictine brandy, another paid 1,200 francs for lingerie for his wife; the soldiers crowded round the shop windows and looked lovingly at the pink and blue bibs. Finally, one of them couldn't help himself and, as soon as the officer had gone, he called the saleswoman over and pointed to some baby clothes; he was very young, with blue eyes.
"Boy? Girl?" the saleswoman asked.
"I don't know," he said ingenuously. "My wife will write and tell me; it happened during my last leave, a month ago."
Everyone around him started laughing. He blushed but seemed very happy. He bought a rattle and a little robe. He came back across the road in triumph.
They were rehearsing the music in the village square. Next to the circle formed by the drums, the trumpets and the fifes, another circle formed round the regimental postmaster. The Frenchmen noted the open mouths and eyes bright with hope, and nodded politely, thinking sadly, We know what it's like… when you're waiting for news from another country. We've all done that… Meanwhile, an enormous young German with huge thighs and a fat bottom that threatened to split his tight riding breeches entered the Hôtel des Voyageurs and, for the third time, asked to look at the barometer. It was still set at fair. The German, beaming with delight, said, "Nothing to worry about. No storm tonight. Gott mit uns."
"Yes, yes." The waitress nodded in agreement.
This innocent delight spread to the customers and the owner himself (who supported the British); everyone stood up and went over to the barometer: "Nothing to worry about! Nothing! Is good… nice party," they said, deliberately speaking in pidgin French so he'd understand them better.
And the German slapped everyone on the back with a wide grin while repeating, "Gott mit uns."
"Sure, sure, Got meedns. He's drunk, that Fritz," they whispered behind his back rather sympathetically. "We know what it's like. He's been celebrating since yesterday… He's a big lad… Well, so what! Why shouldn't they have fun? They're men after all."
Having created a sympathetic atmosphere with his words and appearance, and after downing three bottles of beer one after the other, the German, beaming, finally left. As the day progressed, all the local people began to feel happy and light-headed, as if they too would be going to the ball. In the kitchens, the young girls listlessly rinsed the glasses and every few minutes leaned out of the window to watch the groups of Germans going up to the château.
"Did you see the Second Lieutenant who lives at the church house? Isn't he handsome with his smooth skin. There's the Commandant's new interpreter. How old is he, do you think? I'd say he couldn't be more than twenty, that boy. They're all so young. Oh, there's the Angelliers' Lieutenant. He'd drive me wild, he would. You can tell he's a gentleman. What a beautiful horse! They really do have beautiful horses, by God." The young girls sighed.