" WHAT A THUNDERCLAP THESE WORDS WERE TO ME !". EXPLAIN

M. Hamel announced that an order from Berlin had been received stating that only German was to be taught to students in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Hence, it was going to be their last French lesson; a new teacher was to join the next day. This announcement shocked Franz. Hit by a sudden realisation about how little French he had learnt, Franz regretted missing his lessons and wasting his time in “seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding on the Saar”.