Very melancholy was the appearance it
presented, with large gaping apertures in its walls, with its shattered
doors and broken windows; whilst surrounding it was what had been a
promising garden, but had then become a mere jungle of weeds and thorns.
The back of the edifice comprised below several large living-rooms, over
them a row of tiny cubicles, and was practically undamaged. The eighteen
convalescent patients had been comfortably installed on the
ground-floor, and we had two tiny rooms above. This accommodation was
considered to be practically safe from shells, in spite of the big gun
having been shifted a few days previously, and it being almost in a line
with the convent. On the upper floor of the eastern side a large room,
absolutely riddled with shot and shell, was formerly occupied as a
dormitory by the children of the convent school. It was now put to a
novel use as a temporary barracks, a watch being always on duty there,
and a telescope installed at the window. Since the nuns left to take up
their abode in a bomb-proof shelter, a Maxim had been placed at one of
the windows, which commanded all the surrounding country; but it was
discreetly covered over, and the window-blind kept closely drawn to
avert suspicion, as it was only to be used in case of real emergency. To
reach our cubicles there was but a single staircase, which led past this
room allotted to the soldiers--a fact which left an unsatisfactory
impression on my mind, for it was apparent that, were the convent aimed
at, to reach terra-firma we should have to go straight in the direction
of shells or bullets.
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