Read Online Conquistadors of the Useless by Geoffrey Sutton Lionel Terray David Roberts - Free Book Online Page A

the evening meal we still had to attend cultural classes or rehearsals for a sort of music hall act called ‘passing out’ with which each course ended. Naturally all the activities were carried on at top speed, and the least little movement from one place to another was carried out at the double, and singing.
    The method of character training at the J.M. Central School was, it appeared, modelled on that of the military colleges, and every day we had the opportunity of measuring its full excellence. However unexpected the ideas may be which germinate in the brain of the brass-hatted pedagogue, anyone would at least agree that they were formulated at a time when there was enough to eat to support such a painful existence. But in those days, when the whole of France was starving, this was decidedly not the case. After three weeks about half the course were at the end of their strength, and the rest were more or less run down. Probably due to the inadequate nourishment we were nearly all suffering from a painful illness. The smallest scratches would turn into festering wounds which grew larger every day and resisted all attempts at medication. In varying degrees, we all had our hands, forearms, calves and feet covered in these agonising sores.
    The course, which had begun in enthusiasm, turned into a sort of hell as the days went on. Without the impulsion of the ideals which remained in us like the voice of conscience and gave an unguessed-of endurance, such trials would have been insupportable. We told ourselves that anyone who could not take it was unworthy to be called a man. Had it been otherwise there would have been no motive to resist the temptation of the sick-bay, or even of the liberty of desertion. One might suppose that the leaders who imposed such an inhuman regime were mere bloodthirsty brutes, Nazis worthy of service in the S.S. Nothing could be farther from the truth, because in reality the great majority of them were likeable and intelligent men, frequently quiet and even sensitive. By what collective aberration these sensible beings could have been led to apply such stupid methods of education will always remain a mystery to me. Fortunately, after the first year, the excesses began to be understood, and the courses were subsequently humanised even to the point where enthusiasm gave way to a certain slackness. But this cannot change the fact that as a result of those first courses a number of young men contracted grave heart and lung ailments which will handicap them for the rest of their lives.
    As for me, although I was one of the few to finish in reasonable physical condition, those five weeks have left a memory of exhaustion greater than any I have known since. I have no doubt that the ordeal had a permanent effect on me, and if later, on big expeditions, I have sometimes surprised my comrades by the ease with which I could undergo what seemed unusually exhausting and painful experiences, it has been because they seemed nothing to what I endured at La Chapelle.
    At last the course came to an end. I had done little climbing, and learnt nothing new about it. But despite it all, I did not regret my time in Valgaudemar. I had widened my horizons, met new men and new mountains, and had been enriched by an extraordinary experience which I was happy to have stuck out to the end. ‘Ah, do not beg the favour of an easy life – pray to become one of the truly strong. Do not pray for tasks proportionate to your strength, but for strength proportionate to the task.’ [3] I also had the lesser satisfaction of graduating first in the technical tests and second in the overall classification, the more studious Rébuffat having beaten me by a few points.
    In the course of these five tough weeks which we had gone through shoulder to shoulder, Gaston and I had got to know each other and despite profound differences of temperament had become great friends. The trials of the course had not abated our love of