Joyeux No2005

[the Lieutenant lights a lamp, revealing the General seated in a corner. The Lieutenant notices him, resigns himself]

General Audebert:
How did you let yourself...

Lieutenant Audebert:
If you came to preach, leave now!

General Audebert:
Don't you realize the gravity of this? It's high treason! Punishable by death.

[the Lieutenant just looks at him for a moment, continues with his business]

General Audebert:
Only we can't execture 200 men. That's all that saves you. Not counting all the other cases of fraternization reported since. If public opinion hears of this...

Lieutenant Audebert:
Have no fear, no one here will tell.

General Audebert:
I hope not! Who'd want to?

Lieutenant Audebert:
Want to? The men involved feel no shame. If they won't tell, it's because no one would believe or understand.

General Audebert:
I don't understand you. Carousing with the enemy while the country's partly occupied!

Lieutenant Audebert:
The country? What does it know of what we suffer here? Of what we do without complaint? Let me tell you, I felt closer to the Germans than those who cry, "Kill the Krauts!" before their stuffed turkey!

General Audebert:
You're talking nonsense.

Lieutenant Audebert:
No, you're just not living the same war as me. Or as those on the other side.

General Audebert:
You and your men will rejoin the Verdun sector. You're right about one thing. I don't understand this war. My corps was the cavalry. You should have made a career of it, like I said. Today, I'm asked to fight a way where the shovel outweighs the rifle. In which people swap addresses with the enemy to meet when it's all over. Plus the cat we found with a note from the Germans, "Good luck, comrades!" I was ordered to arrest the cat for high treason... until further notice.

[He turns to leave]

Lieutenant Audebert:
You're a grandfather, Dad.

[the General stops and looks at him. The Lieutenant tries not to cry]

Lieutenant Audebert:
His name is Henri. [He grins through his tears]

General Audebert:
What are you on about? How do you know that?

Lieutenant Audebert:
You wouldn't understand.

General Audebert:
Henri? Not bad. Henri Audebert. Let's try and survive this war for him.