We represented that we weren't
looking for thumbs, but had to put him up for the night; this meant the
whole business of washing, shaving, and disinfecting his clothes.
We heard that the French and English had arrived in Nish, 70,000 men,
and that they had been greeted with the wildest enthusiasm; but against
that was set the fact that Belgrade after all was not quite clear of
Austrians, in fact, they still held half the town, but that the "Swobs"
were not getting on at Chabatz. "Swobs" in Serbian are any of a Germanic
country, while in Austria it is a term of opprobrium, meaning "German."
One of our "Czech" orderlies said to Jo, pathetically--
"I never thought that I should be called a 'Swob.'"
Next day came a warning that two hundred wounded, serious cases, were to
be expected, so everything and everybody was in a rush. The bathrooms to
be cleaned, disinfecting-room and bags to be got ready, wards cleared
as much as was possible.
The wounded did not come, and the next day they did not come.
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