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with； day in； day out； for three and a half years； I learned her slatternly ways； the routine and mechanism of her charm her jealousy and self…seeking and her nervous trick with the fingers when she was lying。 She was stripped of all enchantment now and I knew her for an uncongenial stranger to whom I had bound myself indissolubly in a moment of folly。
So； on this morning of our move； I was entirely indifferent to our destination。 I would go on with my job； but I could bring to it nothing more than acquiescence。 Our orders were to entrain at 0915 hours at a nearby siding； taking in the haversack the unexpired portion of the day's ration； that was all I needed to know。 The pany second…in…mand had gone on with a small advance party。 pany stores had been packed the day before。 Hooper had been detailed to inspect the lines。 The pany was parading at 0730 hours with their kit…bags piled before the huts。 There had been many such moves since the wildly exhilarating morning in 1940 when we had erroneously believed ourselves destined for the defence of Calais。 Three or four times a year since then we had changed our location； this time our new manding officer was making an unusual display of 'security' and had even put us to the trouble of removing all distinguishing badges from our uniforms and transport。 It was 'valuable training in active service conditions'； he said。 'If I find any of these female camp followers waiting for us the other end； I'll know there's been a leakage。'
The smoke from the cook…houses drifted away in the mist and the camp lay； revealed as a planless maze of short…cuts； super…imposed Oh the unfinished housing…scheme as though disinterred at a much later date by a party of archaeologists。
'The Pollock diggings provide a valuable link between the citizen…slave munities of the twentieth century and the tribal anarchy which succeeded them。 Here you see people of advanced culture； capable of an elaborate draining system and the construction of permanent highways； over…run by a race of the lowest type。'
Thus； I thought； the pundits of the future might write； and； turning away； I greeted the pany sargeant…major： 'Has Mr Hooper been round？'
'Haven't seen him at all this morning； Sir。'
We went to the dismantled pany office； where I found a window newly broken since the barrack…damages book was pleted。 'Wind…in…the…night； Sir；' said the Sergeant…Major。
（All breakages were thus attributable or 'to 'Sappers'…demonstration； Sir。'）
Hooper appeared； he was a sallow youth with hair bed back； without parting； from his forehead； and a flat； Midland accent； he had been in the pany two months。
The troops did not like Hooper because he knew too little about his work and would sometimes 'address them individually as 'George' at stand…easies； but I had a feeling which almost amounted to affection for him； largely by reason of an incident on his first evening in mess。
The new colonel had been with us less than a week at the time and we had not yet taken his measure。 He had been standing rounds of gin in the ante…room and was slightly boisterous when he first took notice of Hooper。
That young officer is one of yours； isn't he； Ryder？' he said to me。 'His hair wants cutting。
'It does； sir；' I said。 It did。 'I'll see that it's done。'
The colonel drank more gin and began to stare at Hooper； saying audibly； 'My God； the officers they send us now！'
Hooper seemed to obsess the colonel that evening。 After dinner he suddenly said very loudly： 'In my late regiment if a young officer turned up like that； the other subalterns would bloody well have cut his hair for him。'
No one showed any enthusiasm for this sport； and our lack of response seemed to inflame the colonel。 'You。' he said； turning to a decent boy in 'A' pany； 'go and get a pair of scissors and cut that young officer's hair for him。'
'Is that an order； sir？'
'It's your manding officer's wish and that's the best kind of order I know。'
'Very good； sir。'
And so； in an atmosphere of chilly embarrassment； Hooper sat in a chair while a few snips were made at the back of his head。 At the beginning of the operation I left the ante…room； and later apologized to Hooper for his reception。 'It's not the sort of thing that usually happens in this regiment；' I said。
'Oh； no hard feelings；' said Hooper。 'I can take a bit of sport。'
Hooper had no illusions about the Army … or rather no special illusions distinguishable from the general； enveloping fog from which he observed the universe。 He had e to it reluctantly； under pulsion； after he had made every feeble effort in his power to obtain deferment。 He accepted it； he said； 'like the measles'。 Hooper was no romantic。 He had not as a child ridden with Rupert's horse or sat among the camp fires at Xanthusside； at the age when my eyes were dry to all save poetry … that stoic； redskin interlude which our schools introduce between the fast…flowing tears of the child and the man … Hooper had wept often； but never for Henry's speech on St Crispin's day； nor for the epitaph at Thermopylae。 The history they taught him had had few battles in it but； instead； a profusion of detail about humane legislation and recent industrial change。 Gallipoli； Balaclava； Quebec； Lepanto； Bannockburn； Roncevales； and Marathon … these； and the Battle in the West where Arthur fell； and a hundred such names whose trumpet…notes； even now in my sere and lawless state； called to me irresistibly across the intervening years with all the clarity and strength of boyhood； sounded in vain to Hooper。
He seldom plained。 Though himself a man to whom one could not confidently entrust the simplest duty； he had an overmastering regard for efficiency and； drawing on his modest mercial experience； he would sometimes say of the ways of the Army in pay and supply and the use of 'man…hours'： 'They couldn't get away with that in business。'
He slept sound while I lay awake fretting。
In the weeks that we were together Hooper became a symbol me of Young England； so that whenever I read some public utterance proclaiming what Youth demanded in the Future and what the world owed to Youth； I would test these general statements by substituting 'Hooper' and seeing if they still seemed as plausible。 Thus in the dark hour before reveille I sometimes pondered： 'Hooper Rallies'； 'Hooper Hostels'； 'International Hooper Cooperation'； and 'the Religion of Hooper'。 He was the acid test of all these alloys。
So far as he had changed at all； he was less soldierly now than when he arrived from his OCTU。 This morning； laden with full equipment； he looked scarcely human。 He came to attention with a kind of shuffling dance…step and spread a wool…gloved palm across his forehead。
'I wan't to speak to Mr Hooper； sergeant…major 。。。 well； where the devil have you been？ I told you to inspect the lines。'
' 'M I late？ Sorry。 Had a rush getting my gear together。'
'That's what you have a servant for。'
'Well； I suppose it is； strictly speaking。 But you know how it is。 He had his own stuff to do。 If you get on the wrong side of these fellows they take it out of you other ways。'
'Well； go and inspect the lines；now。'
'Rightyoh。'
'And for Christ's sake don't say 〃rightyoh〃。'
'Sorry。 I do try to remember。 It just slips out。'
When Hooper left the sergeant…major returned。
'C。O。 just ing up the path； sir；' he said。
I went out to meet him。
There were beads of moisture on the hog…bristles of his little red moustache。
'Well； everything squared up here？'
'Yes； I think so； sir。'
'Think so？ You ought to know。'
His eyes fell on the broken window。 'Has that been entered in the barrack damages？'
'Not yet； sir。'
'Not yet？ I wonder when it would have been； if I hadn't seen it。 '
He was not at ease with me； and much of his bluster rose from timidity； but I thought none the better of it for that。
He led me behind the huts to a wire fence which divided my area from the carrier…platoon's； skipped briskly over； and made for an overgrown ditch and bank which had once been a field boundary on the farm。 Here he began grubbing with his stick like a truffling pig and presently gave a cry of triumph。 He had disclosed one of those deposits of rubbish which are dear to the private soldier's sense of order： the head of a broom； the lid of a stove； a bucket rusted through； a sock； a loaf of bread； lay under the dock and nettle among cigarette packets and empty tins。
'Look at that；' said the manding officer。 'Fine impression that gives to the regiment taking over from us。
'That's bad；' I said。
'It's a disgrace。 See everything there is burned before you leave camp。'
'Very good； sir。 Sergeant…major； send over to the carrier…platoon and tell Captain Brown that the C。O。 wants this ditch cleared up。'
I wondered whether the colonel would take this rebuff； so did he。 He stood a moment irresolutely prodding the muck in the ditch； then he turned on his heel and strode away。
'You shouldn't do it； sir； ' said the sergeant…major； who had been my guide and prop since I joined the pany。 'You shouldn't really。'
'That wasn't our rubbish。'
'Maybe not； sir； but you know how it is。 If you get on the wrong side of senior officers they take it out of you other ways。'
As we marched past the madhouse； two or three elderly inmates gibbered and mouthed politely behind the railings。
'Cheeroh； chum； we'll be seeing you'； 'We shan't be long now'； 'Keep smiling till we meet again'； the men called to them。
I was marching with Hooper at； the head of the leading platoon。
'I say； any idea where we're off to？ '
'None。'
'Do you think it's the real thing？'
'No。'
'Just a flap？'
'Yes。'
'Everyone's been saying we're for it。 I don't know what to think really。 Seems so silly somehow； all this drill and training if we never go into action。'
'I shouldn't worry。 There'll be plenty for everyone in time。'
'Oh； I don't want much you know。 Just enough to say I've been in it。'
A train of antiquated coaches was waiting for us at the siding； an R。T。O。 was in charge； a fatigue party was loading the last of。 the kit…bags from the trucks to the luggage vans。 In half an hour we were ready to start and in an hour we started。
My three platoon manders and myself had a carriage to ourselves。 They ate sandwiches and chocolate； smoked and slept。 None of them had a book。 For the first three or four hours they noted the names of the towns and leaned out of the windows when； as often happened； we stopped between stations。 Later they lost interest。 At midday and again at dark some tepid cocoa was ladled from a container into our mugs。 The train moved slowly south through flat； drab main…line scenery。
The chief incident in the day was the … C。O。's 'order group'。 We assembled in his carriage； at the summons of an orderly； and found him and the adjutant wearing their steel helmets and equipment。 The first thing he said was： 'This is an Order Group。 I expect you to attend properly dressed。 The fact that we happen to be in a train is immaterial。' I thought he was going to send us back but； after glaring at us； he said； 'Sit down。'
'The camp was left in a disgraceful condition'。 Wherever I went I found evidence that officers are not doing their duty。 The state in which a camp is left is the best possible test of the efficiency of regimental officers。 It is on such matters that the reputation of a battalion and its mander rests。 'And' … did he in fact say this or am I finding words for the resentment in his voice and eye？ I think he left it unsaid … 'I do not intend to have my professional reputation promised by the slackness of a few temporary officers。'
We sat with our note…books and pencils waiting to take down the details of our next jobs。 A more sensitive man would have seen that he had failed to be impressive； perhaps he saw； for he added in a petulant schoolmasterish way： 'All I ask is loyal cooperation。'
Then he referred to his notes and read：
'Orders。
'Information。 The battalion is now in transit between location A and location B。 This is a major L of C and is liable to bombing and gas attack from t