Ngo-1916, isifunda saseSomme eFrance sasigcwele igazi njengesinye sezigameko ezazichitha igazi elikhulu eMpini Yezwe Yokuqala. Ngo-1971 impi eyaziwayo yathatha izisulu zayo zokugcina. Umbhangqwana wagxumela phezulu emoyeni ngesikhathi unyathela ibhomu elivela kuleyo ndawo. Isikhathi esedlule sazibonakalisa njengesiqephu esinjengempi, njenge-echo eyingozi eyaphinde yavela eminyakeni ethile kamuva.
Okubi kunakho konke ukuthi lo mbhangqwana ushiye indodana, ebineminyaka emithathu ubudala ibinesizungu ingenandawo ecacile ukuthi iya kuphi, nganoma yimuphi umqondo.
Konke lokho kungabanjwa njengememori engacacile, iveyili efana nephupho. Eminyakeni eyalandela lapho u-Edvard akhulela khona nomkhulu wakhe uSverre, akazange asikhiphe leso simo esibuhlungu esabeka ukuqala kwakhe kokuphila. Kepha kwesinye isikhathi okwedlule njalo kugcina ngokusivakashela okungcono noma okubi, kusinikeza ukubukeka okusheshayo esibukweni salokho obekuyikho, futhi kwesinye isikhathi kusishiya siyisibonakaliso esingacimeki, nokuthi besikholelwa ukuthi asikaze sikazise.
U-Edvard uhlushwa yilowo mphumela wesimangalo kusukela esikhathini esedlule futhi ucindezelwa ukuba azi okuningi, ukwazi okuningi. Noma okungenani ukubuyekeza indlela eyenziwe, leyo ekuholela ekuweleni lapho ulahlekelwe okuthile kunoma yiluphi uhambo.
Buyela eSomme ekugcineni, ngemuva kohambo lokufuna lokho kudlula okuvusayo okuvuke ngamandla, cishe ngesihluku, efuna ukunakwa okuphelele kuka-Edvard, Kuyinto yokuhlangana kabusha nesiteji okusenokuningi okufanele ikutshele khona nokucacisa ukuthi kuyini nokuthi kungaba yini.
Ohambweni luka-Edvard sazi nemilando yezwe laseYurophu njengeyizintandane njengo-Edvard, iZwekazi elifana nesibalo sabafowethu abazimisele ngokungezwani kukho konke ukuphila kwabo. Akungabazeki ukuthi ukufana okuhle ukubuyela emuva empilweni ka-Edvard, eqinisweni labazali bakhe naseqinisweni elibuhlungu laseYurophu kwesinye isikhathi elibonakala ngathi lisule nomlando walo, lapho okuzofundwa futhi kukhishwe khona izifundo ezidingekayo.
Manje usungathenga inoveli Izihlahla eziyishumi nesithupha zeSomme, incwadi yakamuva kaLars Mytting, lapha:
Iqiniso ukuthi ngikuthole kumnandi. I-saga enhle ongakhathali ukuyifunda.
Kwakubonakala kufushane kakhulu kimi. Ikuxhuma kusukela kumzuzu wokuqala.
Umuzwa wobufushane uhlala ungcono kunalowo ojwayelekile: Nganginamakhasi ama-x asele. Ukuphakama komthamo wokuhlanganisa, ngenkathi kugcinwa isisindo nokujula koshukela, kungcono, akunjalo?