all the glasses, sang French couplets and bits of German songs they
had learned in their daily intercourse with the enemy.

Soon the men themselves flushed and excited by the female flesh
spread under their nose and within reach of their hands, lost all
restraint, roaring, breaking the plates, while behind them impassive
soldiers were waiting.

The Commander only kept some restraint.

Mademoiselle Fifi had taken Rachel on his knees and deliberately
working himself up to a pitch of frenzy, kissed madly the ebony
curls on her neck, inhaling through the thin interstice between
the gown and her skin, the sweet warmth of her body and the full
fragrance of her person; through the silk, he pinched her furiously
making her scream, seized with a rabid ferocity and distracted by
his craving for destruction. Often also holding her in his arms,
squeezing her as if he wanted to mix her with himself, he pressed
long kisses on the fresh lips of the Jewess and embraced her until
he lost breath; but suddenly he bit her so deep that a dash of
blood flowed down the chin of the young girl and ran into her waist.

Once more she looked at him, straight in the face, and washing the
wound, she muttered: "You will have to pay for it!" He began to
laugh, with a harsh laugh: "All right, I shall pay!" said he.

At dessert, champagne was served. The Commander rose and with the
same tone as he would have taken to drink the health of the Empress
Augusta, he said: