One minute to 10 o'clock
The German batteries , behind , knew that the time was near ; but just when it would be , in two minutes , or in ten or in an hour-they did not know . When the fire of the French guns lifted , they did not know whether it would be to let the poilus assault , or whether it would be only to trick the German infantry and machine-gun men out of their tunnels and dugouts to meet the frightful fall of the French hurricane fire again . But the German guns doubled their response now when the French trebled theirs . One minute to 10 o'clock ! Chester , lying in a shell hole with , his bag , of grenades open before him , felt a shock on his back . A bit of shell or shrapnel had struck him , but he moved his arms and , except for the stinking pain , he was all right . He choked -- and instantly held his breath .