There was so much fire and smoke and so much whirling snow that John could not see clearly.

He was a prey to illusions.

Now the Germans were apparently at the very edge of the trench, and then they were further away than he had first seen them.

The white gloom was shot with a red haze, and the shouts of soldiers, the commands of officers and groans of wounded were mingled in a terrible turmoil of sound.

But John knew that the Germans would be driven tack.