WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>The Grave by Orville R. Emerson. The end of the

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<v Speaker 1>story was first brought to my attention when Fromwiller returned

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<v Speaker 1>from his trip to Mount Kemmel with a very strange tale, indeed,

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<v Speaker 1>and one extremely hard to believe. But I believed enough

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<v Speaker 1>of it to go back to the mount with From

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<v Speaker 1>and see if we could discover anything more. And after

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<v Speaker 1>digging for a while at the place where From's story began,

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<v Speaker 1>we made our way into an old dugout that had

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<v Speaker 1>been caved in, or at least where all the entrances

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<v Speaker 1>had been filled with dirt, and where we found written

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<v Speaker 1>on German correspondence paper a terrible story. We found the

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<v Speaker 1>story on Christmas Day nineteen sixteen from Watteau and Flanders,

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<v Speaker 1>where our regiment was stationed. Of course, you have heard

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<v Speaker 1>of Mount Kemel in Flanders more than once. It figured

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<v Speaker 1>in newspaper reports as it changed hands during some of

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<v Speaker 1>the fiercest fighting of the war, and when the Germans

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<v Speaker 1>were finally driven from this point of vantage in October

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen eighteen, our retreat was started, which did not end

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<v Speaker 1>until it became a race to see who could get

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<v Speaker 1>to Germany first. The advance was so fast that the

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<v Speaker 1>victorious British and French forces had no time to bury

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<v Speaker 1>their dead, and terrible as it may seem to those

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<v Speaker 1>who have not seen it, in December of that year,

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<v Speaker 1>one could see the rotting corpses of the unburied dead

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<v Speaker 1>scattered here and there over the top of Mount Kemel.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a place of ghostly sightings and sickening odors,

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<v Speaker 1>and it was there that we found this tale. With

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<v Speaker 1>the chaplain's help, we translated the story which follows. For

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<v Speaker 1>two weeks, I have been buried alive. For two weeks,

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<v Speaker 1>I have not seen daylight nor heard the sound of

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<v Speaker 1>another person's voice. Unless I can find something to do

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<v Speaker 1>besides this everlasting digging, I shall go mad. So I

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<v Speaker 1>shall write as long as my candles last. I will

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<v Speaker 1>pass part of the time each day in setting down

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<v Speaker 1>on paper my experiences. Not that I need to do

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<v Speaker 1>this in order to remember them. God knows that when

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<v Speaker 1>I get out, the first thing I shall do will

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<v Speaker 1>be try to forget them. But if I should not

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<v Speaker 1>get out. I am an ober lieutenant in the Imperial

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<v Speaker 1>German Army. Two weeks ago my regiment was holding Mount

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<v Speaker 1>Kemmel in Flanders. We were surrounded on three sides and

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<v Speaker 1>subjected to a terrific artillery, but on account of the

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<v Speaker 1>commanding position, we were ordered to hold them out to

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<v Speaker 1>the last man. Our engineers, however, had made things very comfortable.

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<v Speaker 1>Numerous deep dugouts had been constructed, and in them we

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<v Speaker 1>were comparatively safe from the shell fire. Many of these

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<v Speaker 1>had been connected by passageways, so that there was a

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<v Speaker 1>regular little underground city, and the majority of the garrison

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<v Speaker 1>never left the protection of the dugouts. But even under

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<v Speaker 1>these conditions, our casualties were heavy. Lookouts had to be

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<v Speaker 1>maintained above ground, and once in a while a direct

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<v Speaker 1>hit by one of the huge railway guns would even

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<v Speaker 1>destroy some of the dugouts. A little over two weeks ago,

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<v Speaker 1>I can't be sure, because I have lost track of

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<v Speaker 1>the exact number of days, the usual shelling was increased

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<v Speaker 1>one hundredfold, with about twenty others. I was sleeping in

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<v Speaker 1>one of the shallower dugouts. The tremendous increase in shelling

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<v Speaker 1>awakened me with a start, and my first impulse was

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<v Speaker 1>to go at once into a deeper dugout, which was

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<v Speaker 1>connected to the one I was in by an underground passageway.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a smaller dugout, built a few feet lower

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<v Speaker 1>than the one I was in. It had been used

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<v Speaker 1>as a sort of store room, and no one was

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<v Speaker 1>supposed to sleep there, but it seemed safer to me,

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<v Speaker 1>and alone, I crept into it. A thousand times since

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<v Speaker 1>I have wished I had taken another man with me,

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<v Speaker 1>but my chances for doing it were soon gone. I

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<v Speaker 1>had hardly entered the smaller dugout when there was a

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<v Speaker 1>tremendous explosion behind me. The ground shook as if a

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<v Speaker 1>mine had exploded below us. Whether that was indeed the case,

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<v Speaker 1>or whether some extra large caliber explo whose shell had

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<v Speaker 1>struck the dugout behind me, I never knew. After the

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<v Speaker 1>shock of the explosion had passed, I went back to

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<v Speaker 1>the passageway, When about halfway along it, I found the

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<v Speaker 1>timbers had fallen, allowing the earth to settle, and my

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<v Speaker 1>way was effectively blocked. So I returned to the dugout

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<v Speaker 1>and waited alone through several hours of terrific shelling. The

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<v Speaker 1>only other entrance to the dugout I was in was

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<v Speaker 1>the main entrance from the trench above, and all those

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<v Speaker 1>who had been above ground had gone into dugouts long

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<v Speaker 1>before this so I could not expect anyone to enter

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<v Speaker 1>while the shelling continued, and when it ceased, there would

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<v Speaker 1>surely be an attack. As I did not want to

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<v Speaker 1>be killed by a grenade thrown down the entrance, I

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<v Speaker 1>remained awake in order to rush out at the first

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<v Speaker 1>signs of cessation of the bombardment and join what comrades

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<v Speaker 1>there may be left on the hill. After about six

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<v Speaker 1>hours of heavy bombardment, all sound above ground seemed to cease.

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<v Speaker 1>Five minutes went by, then ten. Surely the attack was coming.

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<v Speaker 1>I rushed to the stairway leading to the air I

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<v Speaker 1>took a couple of strides up the stairs. There was

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<v Speaker 1>a blinding flash and a deafening explosion. I felt myself falling.

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<v Speaker 1>The darkness swallowed everything. How long I lay unconscious in

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<v Speaker 1>the dugout I never knew, But after what seemed like

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<v Speaker 1>a long time, I practically grew conscious of a dull

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<v Speaker 1>ache in my left arm. I could not move it.

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<v Speaker 1>I opened my eyes and found only darkness. I felt

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<v Speaker 1>pain and a stiffness all over my body. Slowly I arose,

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<v Speaker 1>struck a match, found a candle and lit it and

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<v Speaker 1>looked at my watch. It had stopped I did not

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<v Speaker 1>know how long I had remained there unconscious. All the

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<v Speaker 1>noise of the bombardment had ceased. I stood and listened

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<v Speaker 1>for some time, but could hear no sound of any kind.

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<v Speaker 1>My gaze fell on the stairway entrance. I started in alarm.

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<v Speaker 1>The end of the dugout where the entrance was was

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<v Speaker 1>half filled with dirt. I went over and looked closer.

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<v Speaker 1>The entrance was completely filled with dirt at the bottom,

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<v Speaker 1>and no light of any kind could be seen from above.

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<v Speaker 1>I went to the passageway to the other dugout, although

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<v Speaker 1>I remembered it had caved in. I examined the fallen

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<v Speaker 1>timbers closely between two of them. I could feel a

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<v Speaker 1>slight movement of air. Here was an opening to the

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<v Speaker 1>outside world. I tried to move the timbers as well

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<v Speaker 1>as I could with one arm, only to precipitate a

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<v Speaker 1>small avalanche of dirt which filled the crack quickly. I

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<v Speaker 1>dug at the dirt until I could feel the movement

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<v Speaker 1>of air. This might be the only place where I

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<v Speaker 1>could obtain fresh air. I was convinced that it would

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<v Speaker 1>take some little work to open up either of the passages,

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<v Speaker 1>and I began to feel hungry. Luckily, there was a

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<v Speaker 1>good supply of canned foods and hard bread, for the

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<v Speaker 1>officers had kept their rations stored in the dugout. I

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<v Speaker 1>also found a keg of water and about a dozen

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<v Speaker 1>bottles of wine, which I discovered to be very good.

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<v Speaker 1>After I had relieved my appetite and finished one of

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<v Speaker 1>the bottles of wine, felt sleepy, and although my left

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<v Speaker 1>arm pained me considerably, I soon dropped off to sleep.

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<v Speaker 1>The time I have allowed myself for writing is up,

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<v Speaker 1>so I will stop for today. After I have performed

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<v Speaker 1>my daily task of digging. Tomorrow I shall again write.

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<v Speaker 1>Already my mind feels easier. Surely help will come soon.

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<v Speaker 1>At any rate. Within two more weeks, I shall have

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<v Speaker 1>liberated myself. Already I am halfway up the stairs, and

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<v Speaker 1>my rations will last that long. I have divided them

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<v Speaker 1>so they will. Yesterday I did not feel like writing

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<v Speaker 1>after I finished my digging. My arm pained me considerably.

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<v Speaker 1>I guess I used it too much. But today I

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<v Speaker 1>was more careful with it, and it feels better, and

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<v Speaker 1>I am worried again. Twice today, big piles of earth

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<v Speaker 1>caved in where the timbers above were loose, and every

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<v Speaker 1>time as much dirt fell into the passageway as I

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<v Speaker 1>can remove in a day. Two days more before I

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<v Speaker 1>can count on getting out by myself, the rations will

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<v Speaker 1>have to be stretched out some more. The daily amount

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<v Speaker 1>is already pretty small, but I shall go on with

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<v Speaker 1>my account. From the time I became conscious, I started

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<v Speaker 1>my watch, and since then I have kept track of

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<v Speaker 1>the days. On the second day, I took stock of

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<v Speaker 1>the food, water, wood, matches, candles, et cetera, and found

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<v Speaker 1>a plentiful supply for two weeks at least. At the time,

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<v Speaker 1>I did not look forward to staying more than a

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<v Speaker 1>few days in my prison. Either the enemy or ourselves

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<v Speaker 1>will occupy the hill, I told myself, because it is

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<v Speaker 1>such an important position, and whoever holds the hill will

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<v Speaker 1>be compelled to dig in deeply in order to hold it.

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<v Speaker 1>So to my mind, it was only a matter of

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<v Speaker 1>a few days until either the entrance or the passageway

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<v Speaker 1>would be cleared, and my only doubts were as to

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<v Speaker 1>whether it would be friends or enemies that would discover me.

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<v Speaker 1>My arm felt better, though I could not use it much,

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<v Speaker 1>and so I spent the day in reading an old

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<v Speaker 1>newspaper which I found among the food supplies, and in

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<v Speaker 1>waiting for help to come. What a fool I was.

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<v Speaker 1>If I only worked from the start, I would be

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<v Speaker 1>just that many days nearer deliverance. On the third day,

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<v Speaker 1>I was annoyed by water which began dripping from the

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<v Speaker 1>roof and seeping in at the sides of the dugout.

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<v Speaker 1>I cursed that muddy water then, as I have often

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<v Speaker 1>cursed such dugout nuisances before. But it may be that

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<v Speaker 1>I shall yet bless that water, and it will save

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<v Speaker 1>my life. But it certainly made things uncomfortable. So I

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<v Speaker 1>spent the day in moving my bunk, food and water supplies, candles,

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<v Speaker 1>et cetera up into the passageway for a space of

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<v Speaker 1>about ten feet. It is unobstructed, and, being slightly higher

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<v Speaker 1>than the dugout, was drier and more comfortable. Besides, the

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<v Speaker 1>air has been much better here, as I had found

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<v Speaker 1>that practically all my supplies of fresh air came in

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<v Speaker 1>through the crack between the timbers, and I thought maybe

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<v Speaker 1>the rats wouldn't bother me so much at night. Again,

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<v Speaker 1>I spent the balance of the day simply in waiting

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<v Speaker 1>for help. It was not until well into the fourth

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<v Speaker 1>day that I really began to feel uneasy. It suddenly

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<v Speaker 1>began to impress on my consciousness that I had not

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<v Speaker 1>heard the sound of a gun or felt the earth

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<v Speaker 1>shake from the force of a concussion since the fatal

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<v Speaker 1>shell that had filled the entrance. What was the meaning

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<v Speaker 1>of the silence? Why did I hear no sounds of fighting?

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<v Speaker 1>It was as still as the grave, but a horrible

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<v Speaker 1>death to die buried alive. A panic of fear swept

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<v Speaker 1>over me, But my will and reason reasserted itself. In time,

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<v Speaker 1>I should be able to dig myself out by my

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<v Speaker 1>own efforts. It would take time, but it could be

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<v Speaker 1>done so, although I could not use my left arm

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<v Speaker 1>as yet. I spent the rest of that day and

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<v Speaker 1>all of the two following days in digging dirt from

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<v Speaker 1>the entrance and carrying it back into the far corner

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<v Speaker 1>of the dugout. On the seventh day, after regaining consciousness,

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<v Speaker 1>I was tired and stiff from my unwonted exertions of

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<v Speaker 1>the three previous days. I could see by this time

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<v Speaker 1>that it was a matter of weeks two or three

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<v Speaker 1>at least before I could hope to liberate myself. I

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<v Speaker 1>might be rescued at an earlier date, but without outside

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<v Speaker 1>aid it would take probably three more weeks of labor

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<v Speaker 1>before I could dig my way out. Already dirt had

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<v Speaker 1>caved in from the top where the timbers had sprung apart,

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<v Speaker 1>and I could repair the damage to the roof of

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<v Speaker 1>the stairway only in a crude way with one arm,

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<v Speaker 1>But my left arm was much better. With a day's rest,

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<v Speaker 1>I would be able to use it pretty well. Besides,

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<v Speaker 1>I must conserve my energy, so I spent the seventh

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<v Speaker 1>day in rest and prayer for my speedy release from

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<v Speaker 1>a living grave. I also reapportioned my food on the

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<v Speaker 1>basis of three more weeks. It made the daily portions

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<v Speaker 1>pretty small, especially as the digging was strenuous work. There

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<v Speaker 1>was a large supply of candles, so that I had

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<v Speaker 1>plenty of light for my work, but the supply of

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<v Speaker 1>water bothered me. Almost half of the small keg was

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<v Speaker 1>gone in the first week. I decided to drink only

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<v Speaker 1>once a day. The following six days were all days

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<v Speaker 1>of feverish labor, light eating, and even lighter drinking. But

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<v Speaker 1>despite all my efforts, only a quarter of a keg

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<v Speaker 1>was left at the end of two weeks, and the

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<v Speaker 1>horror of the situation grew on me, my imagination would

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<v Speaker 1>not be quiet. I would picture to myself the agonies

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<v Speaker 1>to come when I would have even less food and

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<v Speaker 1>water than at present. My mind would run on and

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<v Speaker 1>on to death by starvation, to the finding of my

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<v Speaker 1>emaciated body by those who would eventually open up the dugout,

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<v Speaker 1>even to their attempts to reconstruct the story of my end.

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<v Speaker 1>And adding to my physical discomfort were the swarming vermin

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<v Speaker 1>infesting the dugout and my person. A month had gone

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<v Speaker 1>by since I had had a bath, and I could

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<v Speaker 1>not now spare a drop of water even to wash

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<v Speaker 1>my face. The rats had become so bold that I

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<v Speaker 1>had to leave a candle burning all night in order

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<v Speaker 1>to protect myself in my sleep. Partly to relieve my mind,

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<v Speaker 1>I started to write this tale of my experiences. It

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<v Speaker 1>did act as a relief at first, but now as

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<v Speaker 1>I read it over the growing terror of this awful

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<v Speaker 1>place grips me. I would cease writing, but some impulse

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<v Speaker 1>urges me to write. Each day, three weeks have passed

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<v Speaker 1>since I was buried in this living tomb. Today I

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<v Speaker 1>drank the last drop of water in the keg There

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<v Speaker 1>is a pool of stagnant water on the dugout floor, dirty,

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<v Speaker 1>slimy and alive with vermin always stay there, fed by

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<v Speaker 1>drippings from the roof. As yet I cannot bring myself

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<v Speaker 1>to touch it. Today I divided up my food supply

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<v Speaker 1>for another week. God knows the portions were already small enough,

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<v Speaker 1>but there have been so many cave ins recently that

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<v Speaker 1>I can never finish clearing the entrance in another week.

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<v Speaker 1>Sometimes I feel that I shall never clear it, but

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<v Speaker 1>I must. I can never bear to die here. I

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<v Speaker 1>must will myself to escape, and I shall escape. Did

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<v Speaker 1>not the captain often say that the will to win

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<v Speaker 1>is half the victory. I shall rest no more. Every

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<v Speaker 1>waking hour must be spent in removing the treacherous dirt.

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<v Speaker 1>Even my writing must cease. Oh God, I'm afraid of afraid.

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<v Speaker 1>I must write to relieve my mind. Last night I

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<v Speaker 1>went to sleep at nine by my watch. At twelve,

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<v Speaker 1>I woke to find myself in the dark, frantically digging

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<v Speaker 1>with my bare hands at the dark sides of the dugout.

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<v Speaker 1>After some trouble, I found a candle and lit it.

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<v Speaker 1>The whole dugout was upset. My food supplies were lying

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<v Speaker 1>in the mud. The box of candles had been spilled.

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<v Speaker 1>My fingernails were broken and bloody from clawing at the ground.

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<v Speaker 1>The realization dawned upon me that I had been out

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<v Speaker 1>of my head, and then came the fear, dark, raging, fear,

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<v Speaker 1>fear of insanity. I have been drinking the stagnant water

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<v Speaker 1>from the floor for days. I do not know how many.

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<v Speaker 1>I have only one meal left, but I must save it.

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<v Speaker 1>I had a meal to day. For three days I

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<v Speaker 1>have been without food, but to day I caught one

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<v Speaker 1>of the rats that infest the place. It was a

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<v Speaker 1>big one too, gave me a bad bite, but I

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<v Speaker 1>killed him. I feel lots better to day. HAVE had

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<v Speaker 1>some bad dreams lately, but they don't bother me now.

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<v Speaker 1>That rat was tough, though. Think I'll finish this digging

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<v Speaker 1>and go back to my regiment in a day or two.

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<v Speaker 1>Heaven have mercy. I must be out of my head

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<v Speaker 1>half the time. Now. I have absolutely no recollection of

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<v Speaker 1>having written that last entry, and I feel feverish and weak.

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<v Speaker 1>If I had my strength, I think I could finish

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<v Speaker 1>clearing the entrance in a day or two, But I

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<v Speaker 1>can only work a short time at a stretch. I

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<v Speaker 1>am beginning to give up hope. Wild spells come on

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<v Speaker 1>me oftener. Now I awake, tired from the exertions which

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<v Speaker 1>I cannot remember. Bones of rats, picked clean are scattered about,

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<v Speaker 1>yet I do not remember eating them. In my lucid moments.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't seem to be able to catch them, for

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<v Speaker 1>they are too wary and I am too weak. I

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00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:29.319
<v Speaker 1>get some relief by chewing the candles, but I dare

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<v Speaker 1>not eat them all. I am afraid of the dark.

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<v Speaker 1>I am afraid of the rats, But worst of all

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<v Speaker 1>is the hideous fear of myself. My mind is breaking down.

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<v Speaker 1>I must escape soon or I will be little better

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<v Speaker 1>than a wild animal. Oh God, send help. I'm going mad, terror, desperation, despair.

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<v Speaker 1>Is this the end? For a long long time I

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<v Speaker 1>have been resting. I have had a brilliant idea rest

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<v Speaker 1>brings back strength. The longer a person rests, the stronger

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<v Speaker 1>they should get. I have been resting a long time

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<v Speaker 1>now weeks or months, I don't know which, so I

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<v Speaker 1>must be very strong. I feel strong. My fever has

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00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:30.759
<v Speaker 1>left me, so listen. There is only a little dirt

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<v Speaker 1>left in the entranceway. I am going out and crawl

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00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:40.960
<v Speaker 1>through it, just like a mole, right out into the sunlight.

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<v Speaker 1>I feel much stronger than a mole. So this is

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<v Speaker 1>the end of my little tail. A sad tale, but

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<v Speaker 1>one with a happy ending sunlight, a very happy ending.

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<v Speaker 1>And that was the end of the manuscript. There only

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<v Speaker 1>remains to tell Fromwiller's tale. At first I didn't believe it,

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<v Speaker 1>but now I do. I shall put it down though,

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<v Speaker 1>just as Fromwiller told it to me, and you can

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<v Speaker 1>take it or leave it as you choose. Soon after

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<v Speaker 1>we were billeted at Watau, said Fromwiller, I decided to

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<v Speaker 1>go out and see Mount Kemel. I had heard that

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<v Speaker 1>things were rather gruesome out there, but I was really

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<v Speaker 1>not prepared for the conditions that I found. I had

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<v Speaker 1>seen unburied dead at Rulus and in the Argonne, but

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<v Speaker 1>it had been almost two months since the fighting on

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<v Speaker 1>Mount Kemel, and there were still many unburied dead. But

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<v Speaker 1>there was another thing that I had never seen, and

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<v Speaker 1>that was the buried living. As I came to the

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<v Speaker 1>highest point on the mount, I was attracted by a

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<v Speaker 1>movement of loose dirt on the edge of a huge

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<v Speaker 1>shell hole. The dirt seemed to be falling into a

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<v Speaker 1>common center, as if the dirt below was being removed.

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<v Speaker 1>As I watched, suddenly I was horrified to see a long,

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<v Speaker 1>skinny human arm emerged from the ground. It disappeared, drawing

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<v Speaker 1>back some of the earth with it. There was a

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<v Speaker 1>movement of dirt over a larger area, and the arm reappeared,

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<v Speaker 1>together with a man's head and shoulders. He pulled himself

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<v Speaker 1>up out of the very ground, as it seemed, shook

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<v Speaker 1>the dirt from his body like a huge, gaunt dog,

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<v Speaker 1>and stood erect. I never want to see such another creature.

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<v Speaker 1>Hardly a strip of clothing was visible, and what little

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<v Speaker 1>there was was so torn and dirty that it was

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<v Speaker 1>impossible to tell what kind it had been. The skin

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<v Speaker 1>was drawn tightly over the bones, and there was a

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<v Speaker 1>vacant stare in the protruding eyes. It looked like a

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<v Speaker 1>corpse that had lain in a grave a long time.

341
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<v Speaker 1>This apparition looked directly at me, and yet did not

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<v Speaker 1>appear to see me. He looked as if the light

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<v Speaker 1>bothered him. I spoke, and a look of fear came

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<v Speaker 1>over his face. He seemed filled with terror. I stepped

345
00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:39.200
<v Speaker 1>toward him, shaking a loose piece of barbed wire which

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<v Speaker 1>had caught in my patise. Quick as a flash, he

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<v Speaker 1>turned and started to run from me. For a second,

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<v Speaker 1>I was too astonished to move. Then I started to

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<v Speaker 1>follow him in a straight line. He ran, looking neither

350
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<v Speaker 1>right nor left. Directly ahead of him was a deep

351
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<v Speaker 1>and wide trench. He was running straight toward it. Suddenly

352
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<v Speaker 1>it dawned on me that he did not see it.

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<v Speaker 1>I called out, but it seemed to terrify him all

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<v Speaker 1>the more, and with one last lunge, he stepped into

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<v Speaker 1>the trench and fell. I heard his body strike the

356
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<v Speaker 1>other side of the trench and fell with a splat

357
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<v Speaker 1>into the water at the bottom. I followed and looked

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<v Speaker 1>down into the trench. There he lay with his head

359
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<v Speaker 1>bent back in such a position that I was sure

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<v Speaker 1>his neck was broken. He was half in and half

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<v Speaker 1>out of the water, and as I looked at him,

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<v Speaker 1>I could scarcely believe what I had seen. Surely he

363
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<v Speaker 1>looked as if he had been dead as long as

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<v Speaker 1>some of the other corpses scattered over the hillside. I

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<v Speaker 1>turned and left him as he was buried while living.

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<v Speaker 1>I left him unburied when dead. The End of the

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<v Speaker 1>Grave by Oliver R. Emerson