"Where do these soldiers sleep? Not among these ruins?"

A block of masonry fell ahead of them and split its stones across the
street.

"Be careful! You can get round by this side street. Up here.... In these
ruins. No living soul can sleep in Verdun now."

"Where, then?"

"Don't you know? They sleep _beneath_ Verdun, in this hill around which
we are circling. I am looking for the entrance."

"Inside this hill? Under the town?"

"But you've heard of the _citadelle?_"

"Yes, but... this hill is so big."

"There are fifteen kilometres of tunnel in this hollow hill, and
hundreds of steps lead up to the top by the palace, where there is a
defence of barbed wire and guns. Look, here is the entrance."

They left the car. Before them was a small dark hole in the side of the
hill, an entrance not much higher than a man, into which ran a single
rail line of narrow gauge. A sentry challenged them as they walked
towards him.

Entering the hill they found themselves in a tunnel lit by electric