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diff --git a/11679-0.txt b/11679-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f5fb844 --- /dev/null +++ b/11679-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1853 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11679 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 11679-h.htm or 11679-h.zip: + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h/11679-h.htm) + or + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h.zip) + + + + + +THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN + +By + +Kathleen Burke +Knight of St. Sava, Serbia +Officier de l'Instruction Publique, France + + + + + + +This Little Book Is +Respectfully And Affectionately Dedicated To +Madame Jusserand, +Ambassadrice de France in Washington, +and to +Monsieur Gaston Liebert, +Consul General de France + +Dr. C. O. Mailloux + +And to all my good friends in the United States and Canada, +whose sympathy and encouragement have helped me so much in +my work. + + +VIVE LA FRANCE + + + + +Contents + + +Chapter + + I The True Philosophers + II The Bridge At Meaux + III Recruiting Rat-Catchers + IV A Gun Carriage An Altar + V Life Behind The Lines + VI Devotion To Animals + VII Hunting For Generals + VIII An Instance Of Quick Wit + IX At The Headquarters Of General Petain + X A Meeting With "Forain" + XI Value Of Women's Work + XII The "Movies" Under Fire + XIII A Subterranean Cut + XIV Poilu And Tommy + XV Abbreviated French + XVI The Brown And Black Sons Of France + XVII At General Nivelle's Headquarters +XVIII Rheims + XIX At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo + XX To The Glory Of The Women Of France + + + + + +The True Philosophers + + +We left Paris determined to undertake the journey to the Front in +the true spirit of the French Poilu, and, no matter what happened, +"de ne pas s'en faire." This famous "motto" of the French Army is +probably derived from one of two slang sentences, de ne pas se +faire des cheveux ("to keep one's hair on,") or de ne pas se faire +de la bile, or, in other words, not to upset one's digestion by +unnecessary worrying. The phrase is typical of the mentality of the +Poilu, who accepts anything and everything that may happen, +whether it be merely slight physical discomfort, or intense +suffering, as part of the willing sacrifice which he made on the day +that, leaving his homestead and his daily occupation, he took up +arms "offering his body as a shield to defend the heart of France." + +Everything might be worse than it is, says the Poilu, and so he has +composed a Litany. Every regiment has a different version, but +always with the same basis. + +"Of two things one is certain: Either you're mobilised or you're not +mobilised. If you're not mobilised, there is no need to worry; if you +are mobilised, of two things one is certain: Either you're behind the +lines or you're on the Front. If you're behind the lines there is no +need to worry; if you're on the Front, of two things one is certain: +Either you're resting in a safe place or you're exposed to danger. If +you're resting in a safe place there is no need to worry; if you're +exposed to danger, of two things one is certain: Either you're +wounded or you're not wounded. If you're not wounded, there is no +need to worry; if you are wounded, of two things one is certain: +Either you're wounded seriously or you're wounded slightly. If +you're wounded slightly there is no need to worry; if you're +wounded seriously, of two things one is certain: Either you recover +or you die. If you recover there is no need to worry; if you die you +can't worry." + +When once past the "Wall of China," as the French authorities call +the difficult approaches to the war zone, Meaux was the first town +of importance at which we stopped. We had an opportunity to +sample the army bread, as the driver of a passing bread wagon +flung a large round loaf into our motor. + +According to all accounts received from the French soldiers who +are in the prison camps of Germany, one of the greatest hardships +is the lack of white bread, and they have employed various +subterfuges in the endeavour to let their relatives know that they +wish to have bread sent to them. + +Some of the Bretons writing home nickname bread "Monsieur +Barras," and when there was a very great shortage they would +write to their families: "Ce pauvre Monsieur Barras ne se porte pas +tres bien a present." (M. Barras is not very well at present.) Finally +the Germans discovered the real significance of M. Barras and +they added to one of the letters: "Si M. Barras ne se porte pas tres +bien a present c'est bien la faute de vos amis les Anglais." (If M. +Barras is not well at present, it is the fault of your friends the +English.) And from then all the letters referring to M. Barras +were strictly suppressed. + +While the German Press may not be above admitting a shortage +of food in Germany, it seriously annoys the Army that the French +prisoners or the French in the invaded regions should hear of it. I +heard one story of the wife of a French officer in Lille, who was +obliged to offer unwilling hospitality to a German Captain, who, in a +somewhat clumsy endeavour to be amiable, offered to try to get +news of her husband and to convey it to her. Appreciating the +seeming friendliness, of the Captain, she confided to him that she +had means of communicating with her husband who was on the +French Front. The Captain informed against her and the next day +she was sent for by the Kommandantur, who imposed a fine of fifty +francs upon her for having received a letter from the enemy lines. +Taking a one hundred franc note from her bag she placed it on the +desk, saying, "M. le Kommandantur, here is the fifty francs fine, +and also another fifty francs which I am glad to subscribe for the +starving women and children in Berlin." "No one starves in Berlin," +replied the Kommandantur. "Oh, yes, they do," replied Madame X., +"I know because the Captain who so kindly informed you that I had +received a letter from my husband showed me a letter the other +day from his wife in which she spoke of the sad condition of the +women and children of Germany, who, whilst not starving, were far +from happy." Thus she not only had the pleasure of seriously +annoying the Kommandantur, but also had a chance to get even +with the Captain who had informed against her, and who is no +longer in soft quarters in Lille, but paying the penalty of his +indiscretion by a sojourn on the Yser. + + + + +The Bridge At Meaux + + + +The Bridge at Meaux, destroyed in the course of the German +retreat, has not yet been entirely repaired. Beneath it rushes the +Marne and the river sings in triumph, as it passes, that it is carrying +away the soil that has been desecrated by the steps of the +invader, and that day by day it is washing clean the land of France. + +In the fields where the corn is standing, the tiny crosses marking +the last resting places of the men are entirely hidden, but where +the grain has been gathered the graves, stand out distinctly +marked not only by a cross, but also by the tall bunches of corn +which have been left growing on these small patches of holy +ground. It has always been said that France has two harvests +each year. Certainly in the fields of the Marne there is not only the +harvest of bread; there is also springing up the harvest of security +and peace. + +The peasants as they point out the graves always add: "We of the +people know that those men sacrificed their lives that our children +might live. Those who have died in vain for an unjust cause may +well envy the men of France who have poured out their blood for +the benefit of humanity." + +Looking on the crosses on the battlefield of the Marne, I realised to +the fullest extent the sacrifices, borne with such bravery, of the +women of France. I thought of the picture I had seen in Paris of a +group of mothers standing at the foot of Calvary, looking out over +the fields of small black crosses, lifting their hands to Heaven, with +the words: "We also, God, have given our sons for the peace of +the world." + +At Montmirail the real activity of the war zone first became +apparent. We drew the car to the side of the road and waited +whilst a long procession of empty munition wagons passed on the +way back from the munition parks near the fighting line. There was +a smile on the face of every one of the drivers. Each of them had +the satisfaction of knowing that there was no chance of his +returning with an empty wagon, as there is no lack of provisions to +feed the hungriest of the "75's" or any of her larger sisters. + +The fact that it is known that there is an ample supply of munitions +plays an important part in the "morale" of the troops. The average +Poilu has no sympathy with the man who grumbles at the number +of hours he may have to spend in the factory. We heard the tale of +a munition worker who was complaining in a cafe at having to work +so hard. A Poilu who was en permission, and who was sitting at +the next table, turned to him saying: "You have no right to grumble. +You receive ten to twelve francs a day for making shells and we +poor devils get five sous a day for stopping them!" + + + + +Recruiting Rat-Catchers + + + +We lunched in the small but hospitable village of Sezannes in +company with a most charming invalided officer, who informed us +that he was the principal in that district of the S.D.R. R.D. (Service +de Recherche des Rattiers) (the Principal Recruiting Officer for +Rat-Catchers). In other words, he is spending his time endeavouring +to persuade suitable bow-wows to enlist in the service of their +country. Likely dogs are trained until they do not bark, and become +entirely accustomed to the sound of firing; they are then pronounced +"aptes a faire campagne" or "fit for service," receive their livret +militaire, or certificates--for not every chance dog is allowed in +the trenches--and are despatched to the trenches on a rat-hunting +campaign. + +At the commencement of the .War, dogs were not utilized to the +extent they are at present. A large number are now with the +French Army and the wonderful training they have received, aided +by their natural sagacity, renders them a holy terror to prowling +bodies and spies. Those employed in carrying messages or +tobacco to the soldiers in dangerous trenches now wear gas +masks, as many of these high trained animals have been lost in +consequence of too closely investigating the strange odour +caused by this Hun war method. + +From Sezannes we proceeded direct to the new camp for German +prisoners at Connantre. The prisoners were mostly men who had +been taken in the recent fighting on the Somme or around Verdun. +The camp was already excellently installed and the prisoners were +busy in groups gardening, making bread, or sitting before great +heaps of potatoes preparing them for the evening meal. In one +corner the inevitable German Band was preparing for an evening +concert. The German sense of order was everywhere in evidence. +In the long barracks where the men slept the beds were tidy, and +above each bed was a small shelf, each shelf arranged in exactly +the same order, the principal ornaments being a mug, fork and +spoon; and just as each bed resembled each other bed, so the +fork and spoon were placed in their respective mugs at exactly the +same angle. There were small partitioned apartments for the non- +commissioned officers. + +The French Commander of the camp told us that the German love +of holding some form of office was everywhere apparent. The +French made no attempt to command the prisoners themselves, +but always chose men from amongst the prisoners who were +placed in authority over their comrades. The prisoners rejoiced +exceedingly and promptly increased in self-importance and, alas, +decreased in manners, if they were given the smallest position +which raised them above the level of the rest of the men. + +In the barrack where they were cutting up bread for the prisoners, +we asked the men if they deeply regretted their captivity. They +replied unanimously that they were "rather glad to be well fed," +which seemed an answer in itself. They did not, however, +appreciate the white bread, and stated that they preferred their +own black bread. The French officers commanding the camp treat +the prisoners as naughty children who must be "kept in the corner" +and punished for their own good. In all my travels through France I +have never seen any bitterness shown towards the prisoners. I +remember once at Nevers we passed a group of German prisoners, +and amongst them was a wounded man who was lying in a small cart. +A hand bag had fallen across his leg, and none of his comrades +attempted to remove it. A French woman pushing her way between +the guards, lifted it off and gave it to one of the Germans to carry. +When the guards tried to remonstrate she replied simply: "J'ai un +fils prisonnier la bas, faut esperer qu'une allemande ferait autant +pour lui." ("I have a son who is a prisoner in their land; let us hope +that some German woman would do as much for him.") + +On the battlefields the kindness of the French medical men to the +German wounded has always been conspicuous. One of my neutral +friends passing through Germany heard from one of the prominent +German surgeons that they were well aware of this fact, and knew that +their wounded received every attention. There is a story known throughout +France of a French doctor who was attending a wounded German +on the battlefield. The man, who was probably half delirious, +snatched at a revolver which was lying near by and attempted +to shoot the doctor. The doctor took the revolver from him, patted +him on the head, and said: "Voyons, voyons, ne faites pas l'enfant" +("Now then, now then, don't be childish") and went on dressing his wounds. + +Everywhere you hear accounts of brotherly love and religious +tolerance. I remember kneeling once by the side of a dying French +soldier who was tenderly supported in the arms of a famous young +Mohammedan surgeon, an Egyptian who had taken his degree in +Edinburgh and was now attached to the French Red Cross. The +man's mind was wandering, and seeing a woman beside him he +commenced to talk to me as to his betrothed. "This war cannot last +always, little one, and when it is over we will buy a pig and a cow +and we will go to the cure, won't we, beloved?" Then in a lucid +moment he realised that he was dying, and he commenced to +pray, "Ave Maria, Ave Maria," but the poor tired brain could +remember nothing more. He turned to me to continue, but I could +no longer trust myself to speak, and it was the Mohammedan who +took up the prayer and continued it whilst the soldier followed with +his lips until his soul passed away into the valley of shadows. I +think this story is only equalled in its broad tolerance by that of the +Rabbi Bloch of Lyons, who was shot at the battle of the Aisne +whilst holding a crucifix to the lips of a dying Christian soldier. The +soldier priests of France have earned the love and respect of even +the most irreligious of the Poilus. They never hesitate to risk their +lives, and have displayed sublime courage and devotion to their +duty as priests and as soldiers. Behind the first line of trenches a +soldier priest called suddenly to attend a dying comrade, took a +small dog he was nursing and handing it to one of the men simply +remarked, "Take care of the little beast for me, I am going to a +dangerous corner and I do not want it killed." + + + + +A Gun Carriage An Altar + + + +I have seen the Mass celebrated on a gun carriage. Vases made +of shell cases were filled with flowers that the men had risked their +lives to gather in order to deck the improvised altar. A Red Cross +ambulance drove up and stopped near by. The wounded begged +to be taken out on their stretchers and laid at the foot of the altar in +order that "they might receive the blessing of the good God" +before starting on the long journey to the hospital behind the lines. + +Outside the prison camp of Cannantre stood a circle of French +soldiers learning the bugle calls for the French Army. I wondered +how the Germans cared to listen to the martial music of the men of +France, one and all so sure of the ultimate victory of their country. +Half a kilometre further on, a series of mock trenches had been +made where the men were practising the throwing of hand +grenades. Every available inch of space behind the French lines is +made to serve some useful purpose. + +I never see a hand grenade without thinking how difficult it is just +now to be a hero in France. Every man is really a hero, and the +men who have medals are almost ashamed since they know that +nearly all their comrades merit them. It is especially difficult to be a +hero in one's own family. One of the men in our hospital at +Royaumont had been in the trenches during an attack. A grenade +thrown by one of the French soldiers struck the parapet and +rebounded amongst the men. With that rapidity of thought which is +part of the French character, Jules sat on the grenade and +extinguished it. For this act of bravery he was decorated by the +French Government and wrote home to tell his wife. I found him +sitting up in bed, gloomily reading her reply, and I enquired why he +looked so glum. "Well, Mademoiselle," he replied, "I wrote to my +wife to tell her of my new honour and see what she says: 'My dear +Jules, We are not surprised you got a medal for sitting on a hand +grenade; we have never known you to do anything else but sit +down at home!!!'" + +It was at Fere Champenoise that we passed through the first +village which had been entirely destroyed by the retreating +Germans. Only half the church was standing, but services are still +held there every Sunday. Very little attempt has been made to +rebuild the ruined houses. Were I one of the villagers I would +prefer to raze to the ground all that remained of the desecrated +homesteads and build afresh new dwellings; happy in the +knowledge that with the victory of the Allies would start a period of +absolute security, prosperity and peace. + + + + +Life Behind The Lines + + + +Soon after leaving Mailly we had the privilege of beholding some of +the four hundred centimetre guns of France, all prepared and +ready to travel at a minute's notice along the railway lines to the +section where they might be needed. Some idea of their size may +be obtained from the fact that there were ten axles to the base on +which they travel. They were all disguised by the system of +camouflage employed by the French Army, and at a very short +distance they blend with the landscape and become almost +invisible. Each gun bears a different name, "Alsace," "Lorraine," +etc., and with that strange irony and cynical wit of the French +trooper, at the request of the men of one battery, one huge gun +has been christened "Mosquito," "Because it stings." + +The French often use a bitter and biting humour in speaking of the +enemy. For instance, amongst the many pets of the men, the +strangest I saw was a small hawk sitting on the wrist of a soldier +who had trained him. The bird was the personification of evil. If any +one approached he snapped at them and endeavoured to bite +them. I asked the man why he kept him, and he replied that they +had quite good sport in the trenches when they allowed the hawk +to hunt small birds and field mice. Then his expression changing +from jovial good humour to grimness, he added, "You know, I call +him 'Zepp,' because he kills the little ones," (parcequ'il tue les tous +petits.) + + + + +Devotion To Animals + + + +In one small cantonment where two hundred Poilus sang, shouted, +ate, drank and danced together to the strain of a wheezy +gramophone, or in one word were "resting," I started to investigate +the various kinds of pets owned by the troopers. Cats, dogs and +monkeys were common, whilst one Poilu was the proud possessor +of a parrot which he had purchased from a refugee obliged to fly +from his home. He hastened to assure us that the bird had learned +his "vocabulary" from his former proprietor. A study in black and +white was a group of three or four white mice, nestling against the +neck of a Senegalais. + +The English Tommy is quite as devoted to animals as is his +French brother. I remember crossing one bitter February day from +Boulogne to Folkestone. Alongside the boat, on the quay at +Boulogne, were lined up the men who had been granted leave. +Arrayed in their shaggy fur coats they resembled little the smart +British soldier of peace times. It was really wonderful how much +the men managed to conceal under those fur coats, or else the +eye of the officer inspecting them was intentionally not too keen. + +Up the gangway trooped the men, and I noticed that two of them +walked slowly and cautiously. The boat safely out of harbour, one +of them produced from his chest a large tabby cat, whilst the other +placed a fine cock on the deck. It was a cock with the true Gallic +spirit, before the cat had time to consider the situation it had +sprung on its back. The cat beat a hasty retreat into the arms of its +protector who replaced it under his coat. Once in safety it stuck out +its head and swore at the cock, which, perched on a coil of rope, +crowed victoriously. Both had been the companions of the men in +the trenches, and they were bringing them home. + +A soldier standing near me began to grumble because he had not +been able to bring his pet with him. I enquired why he had left it +behind since the others had brought theirs away with them, and +elicited the information that his pet was "a cow, and therefore +somewhat difficult to transport." He seemed rather hurt that I +should laugh, and assured me it was "a noble animal, brown with +white spots, and had given himself and his comrades two quarts of +milk a day." He looked disdainfully at the cock and cat. "They could +have left them behind and no one would have pinched them, +whereas I know I'll never see 'Sarah' again, she was far too +useful." + +Entering Vitry-le-Francois we had a splendid example of the typical +"motto" of the French trooper, "II ne faut pas s'en faire" One of the +motor cars had broken down, and the officer-occupants, who were +evidently not on an urgent mission, had gone to sleep on the +banks by the side of the road whilst the chauffeur was making the +necessary repairs. We offered him assistance, but he was +progressing quite well alone. Later on another officer related to me +his experience when his car broke down at midnight some twelve +miles from a village. The chauffeur was making slow headway with +the repairs. The officer enquired whether he really understood the +job, and received the reply, "Yes, mon Lieutenant, I think I do, but I +am rather a novice, as before the war I was a lion-tamer!" +Apparently the gallant son of Gaul found it easier to tame lions +than to repair motors. + + + + +Hunting For Generals + + + +We left Vitry-le-Francois at six o'clock next morning, and started +"the hunt for Generals." It is by no means easy to discover where +the actual Headquarters of the General of any particular sector is +situated. + +We were not yet really on the "White Road" to Verdun, and there +was still much to be seen that delighted the eyes. In one yellow +cornfield there appeared to be enormous poppies. On approaching +we discovered a detachment of Tirailleurs from Algiers, sitting in +groups, and the "poppies" were the red fezes of the men--a gorgeous +blending of crimson and gold. We threw a large box of cigarettes +to them and were greeted with shouts of joy and thanks. The Tirailleurs +are the enfants terribles of the French Army. One noble son of +Africa who was being treated in one of the hospitals once presented +me with an aluminium ring made from a piece of German shell. +I asked him to make one for one of my comrades who was working +at home, and he informed me that nothing would have given +greater pleasure, but unfortunately he had no more aluminium. +Later in the day, passing through the ward, I saw him surrounded +by five or six Parisian ladies who were showering sweets, cigarettes +and flowers on him, whilst he was responding by presenting +each of them with an aluminium ring. When they had left I went +to him and told him "Mahmud, that was not kind. I asked you for +a ring and you said you had not got any more aluminium." He +smiled and his nurse, who was passing, added, "No, he had +not got any more aluminium, but when he is better he will get +forty-eight hours' punishment; he has been into the kitchen, +stolen one of our best aluminium saucepans, and has been +making souvenirs for the ladies." He made no attempt to justify +his action beyond stating: "Moi, pas si mauvais, toi pas faux souvenir" +("I am not so bad, I did not try to give you a fake souvenir"). + +Another of our chocolate coloured patients found in the grounds of +the hospital an old umbrella. Its ribs stuck out and it was full of +holes, but it gave him the idea of royalty and daily he sat up in bed +in the ward with the umbrella unfurled whilst he laid down the law +to his comrades. The nurses endeavoured to persuade him to +hand it over at night. He obstinately refused, insisting that "he +knew his comrades," and he feared that one of them would +certainly steal the treasure, so he preferred to keep it in the bed +with him. + +At Villers-le-Sec we came upon the headquarters of the cooks for +that section of the Front. The cook is one of the most important +men in a French regiment; he serves many ends. When carrying +the food through the communicating trenches to the front line +trenches he is always supposed to bring to the men the latest +news, the latest tale which is going the round of the camp, and +anything that may happen to interest them. If he has not got any +news he must manufacture and produce some kind of story. It is +really necessary for him to be not only a cook but also an author. + +There is a tale going the round of the French Army how one +section of the Cooks, although unarmed, managed to take some +twenty German prisoners. As they went on their way, they saw the +Germans in the distance approaching them; the Head Cook quietly +drew the field kitchens behind a clump of trees and bushes, placed +his men in a row, each with a cooking utensil in his hand, and as +the Germans passed shouted to them to surrender. The sun fell +on the handles of the saucepans, causing them to shine like +bayonets, and the Germans, taken unawares, laid down their +arms. The Head Cook then stepped out and one by one took the +rifles from the enemy and handed them to his men. It was only +when he had disarmed the Germans and armed his comrades that +he gave the signal for them to step out, and the Germans saw that +they had been taken by a ruse. One can imagine the joy of the +French troops in the next village when, with a soup ladle in his +hand, his assistants armed with German rifles, followed by the +soup kitchen and twenty prisoners--he marched in to report. + + + + +An Instance Of Quick Wit + + + +It is curious how near humour is to tragedy in war, how quick wit +may serve a useful purpose, and even save life. A young French +medical student told me that he owed his life to the quick wit of the +women of a village and the sense of humour of a Saxon officer. +Whilst passing from one hospital to another he was captured by a +small German patrol, and in spite of his papers proving that he +was attached to the Red Cross Service, he was tried as a spy and +condemned to be shot. At the opening of his trial the women had +been interested spectators, towards the end all of them had +vanished. He was placed against a barn door, the firing squad +lined up, when from behind the hedge bordering a wood, the +women began to bombard the soldiers with eggs. The aim was +excellent, not one man escaped; the German officer laughed at +the plight of his men and, in the brief respite accorded, the young +man dashed towards the hedge and vanished in the undergrowth. +The Germans fired a few shots but there was no organised +attempt to follow him, probably because their own position was not +too secure. He was loth to leave the women to face the music, but +they insisted that it was pour la patrie and that they were quite +capable of taking care of themselves. Later he again visited the +village and the women told him that beyond obliging them to clean +the soldiers' clothes thoroughly, the German officer had inflicted no +other punishment upon them. + +A certain number of inhabitants are still living in the village of +Revigny. You see everywhere placards announcing "Caves pour +25," "Caves pour 100," and each person knows to which cellar he +is to go if a Taube should start bombing the village. I saw one +cellar marked "120 persons, specially safe, reserved for the +children." Children are one of the most valuable assets of France, +and a good old Territorial "Pe-Pere" (Daddy), as they are +nicknamed, told me that it was his special but difficult duty to +muster the children directly a Taube was signalled and chase them +down into the cellar. Mopping his brow he assured me that it was +not easy to catch the little beggars, who hid in the ruins, behind the +army wagons, anywhere to escape the "parental" eye, even +standing in rain barrels up to their necks in water. It is needless to +add they consider it a grave infringement of their personal liberty +and think that they should be allowed to remain in the open and +see all that goes on, just as the little Londoners beg and coax to +be allowed to stay up "to see the Zepps." + +Passing the railway station we stopped to make some enquiries, +and promptly ascertained all we wished to know from the Chef de +Gare. In the days of peace there is in France no one more +officious than the station master of a small but prosperous village. +Now he is the meekest of men. Braided cap in hand he goes along +the train from carriage door to carriage door humbly requesting +newspapers for the wounded in the local hospitals: "Nous avons +cent vingt cinq blesses ici, cela les fait tant de plaisir d'avoir des +nouvelles." (We have 125 wounded here and they love to hear the +news.) + +In addition to levying a toll on printed matter, he casts a covetous +and meaning glance on any fruit or chocolate that may be visible. +Before the train is out of the station, you can see the once busy, +and in his own opinion, all-important railway official, vanishing +down the road to carry his spoils to his suffering comrades. +Railway travelling is indeed expensive in France. No matter what +time of day or night, wet or fine, the trains are met at each station +by devoted women who extract contributions for the Red Cross +Funds from the pockets of willing givers. It is only fair to state, +however, that in most instances the station master gets there first. + + + + +At The Headquarters Of General Petain + + + +From the time we left Revigny until we had passed into the +Champagne country, upon the return journey from Verdun, we no +longer saw a green tree or a blade of green grass; we were now +indeed upon the "White Road which leads unto Verdun." Owing to +an exceptionally trying and dry summer the roads are thick with +white dust. The continual passing of the camions, the splendid +transport wagons of the French Army, carrying either food, +munitions, or troops, has stirred up the dust and coated the fields, +trees and hedges with a thick layer of white. It is almost as painful +to the eyes as the snow-fields of the Alps. + +I saw one horse that looked exactly like a plaster statuette. His +master had scrubbed him down, but before he dried the white dust +had settled on him everywhere. Naturally humans do not escape. +By the time our party reached the Headquarters of General Petain +we had joined the White Brigade. I excused myself to the General, +who smilingly replied: "Why complain, Mademoiselle, you are +charming; your hair is powdered like that of a Marquise." The +contrast with what had been a black fur cap on what was now +perfectly white hair justified his compliment. I have never been +renowned in my life for fear of any individual, but I must admit that I +passed into the presence of General Petain with a great deal of +respect amounting almost to awe. The defence of Verdun through +the bitter months of February and March by General Petain, a +defence which is now under the immediate control of his able +lieutenants General Nivelle and General Dubois, has earned the +respect and admiration of the whole world. It is impossible not to +feel the deepest admiration for these men who have earned such +undying glory, not only for themselves, but for their Motherland. + +No one could have been more gracious and kind than General +Petain, and in his presence one realised the strength and power of +France. Throughout all the French Headquarters one is impressed +by the perfect calm; no excitement; everything perfectly organised. + +General Petain asked me at once to tell him what I desired. I +asked his permission to go to Rheims. He at once took up a paper +which permitted me to enter the war zone and endorsed it with the +request to General Debeney in Rheims to allow me to penetrate +with my companions into the city. He then turned to me again and +asked me, with a knowing smile, if that was all I required--for his +Headquarters were hardly on the direct road to Rheims! I hesitated +to express my real wish, when my good counsellor and friend, with +whom I was making the journey, the Commandant Jean de Pulligny, +answered for me: "I feel sure it would be a great happiness and +honour if you would allow us, General, to go to Verdun." General +Petain appeared slightly surprised, and turning to me asked: "Do +you thoroughly realise the danger? You have crossed the Atlantic +and faced submarines, but you will risk more in five minutes in +Verdun than in crossing the Atlantic a thousand times." However, +seeing that I was really anxious to go, and that it might be of great +service to me in my future work to have seen personally the defence +of Verdun, he added smilingly: "Well then, you can go if you wish +at your own risk and peril." He then telephoned to General Nivelle +the necessary permission for us to enter Verdun. + +I doubt whether General Petain realises the respect in which he is +held in all the civilised countries of the world. Probably he does not +yet understand that people would come thousands of miles to +have five minutes' audience with him, for he enquired if we were in +any hurry to continue our journey, and added with charming +simplicity--"Because if not, and you do not mind waiting an hour, I +shall be glad if you will lunch with me." + + + + +A Meeting With "Forain" + + + +We lunched with General Petain and his Etat Major. A charming +and most interesting addition to the party was M. Forain, the +famous French caricaturist, and now one of the Chief Instructors of +the French Army in the art of camouflage--the art of making a thing +look like anything in the world except what it is! He has established +a series of schools all along the French Front, where the Poilus +learn to bedeck their guns and thoroughly disguise them under +delicate shades of green and yellow, with odd pink spots, in order +to relieve the monotony. Certainly the appearance of the guns of +the present time would rejoice the heart and soul of the "Futurists." +It was most interesting to hear him describe the work in detail and +the rapidity with which his pupils learned the new art. For one real +battery there are probably three or four false ones, beautiful +wooden guns, etc., etc., and he told us of the Poilus' new version +of the song "Rien n'est plus beau que notre Patrie" ("Nothing is +more beautiful than our country"). They now sing "Rien n'est plus +faux que notre batterie" ("Nothing is more false than our battery"). + +It was M. Forain who coined the famous phrase "that there was no +fear for the ultimate success of the Allies, if only the civilians held +out!" + +I was much amused at M. Forain's statement that he had already +heard that a company had been formed for erecting, after the War, +wooden hotels on the battlefields of France for the accommodation +of sightseers. Not only was it certain that these hotels were to be +built, but the rooms were already booked in advance. + + + + +Value Of Women's Work + + + +It was strange to find there, within the sound of the guns-- +sometimes the glasses on the table danced to the music although +no one took any notice of that--surrounded by men directing the +operations of the war and of one of the greatest battles in history, +how little War was mentioned. Science, Philosophy and the work +of women were discussed. + +The men of France are taking deep interest in the splendid +manner in which the women of all the different nations are +responding to the call to service. I described to General Petain the +work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. These magnificent +hospitals are organised and staffed entirely by women and started, +in the first instance, by the Scottish Branch of the National Union of +Women's Suffrage. He was deeply interested to learn that what +had been before the War a political society had, with that splendid +spirit of patriotism which had from the first day of the war animated +every man, woman and child of Great Britain, drawn upon its funds +and founded the Hospital Units. I explained to him that it was no +longer a question of politics, but simply a case of serving humanity +and serving it to the best possible advantage. The National Union +had realised that this was a time for organised effort on the part of +all women for the benefit of the human race and the alleviation of +suffering. + +I spoke of the bravery of our girls in Serbia; how many of them had +laid down their lives during the typhus epidemic; how cheerfully +they had borne hardships, our doctors writing home that their tent +hospitals were like "great white birds spreading their wings under +the trees," whereas really they had often been up all night hanging +on to the tent poles to prevent the tents collapsing over their patients. + +A member of the Etat Major asked how we overcame the +language difficulty. I pointed out that to diagnose typhus and watch +the progress of the patient it was not necessary to speak to him, +and that by the magic language of sympathy we managed to +establish some form of "understanding" between the patients, the +Doctors, and the Nurses. The members of our staff were chosen +as far as possible with a knowledge of French or German, and it +was possible to find many Serbians speaking either one of these +languages. We also found interpreters amongst the Austrian +prisoner orderlies. These prisoner orderlies had really proved +useful and had done their best to help us. Naturally they had their +faults. One of our Lady Doctors had as orderly a Viennese +Professor, willing but somewhat absent-minded. One morning she +sent for him and asked him: "Herr Karl, can you tell me what was +wrong with my bath water this morning?" "I really don't know, +Fraulein, but I will endeavour to find out." + +Ten minutes later he returned, looking decidedly guilty and +stammered out, "I do not know how to tell you what happened to +that bath water." "Nonsense, it can't be very terrible," replied +Doctor X. "What was wrong?" "Well, Fraulein, when I went into the +camp kitchen this morning there were two cauldrons there, one +was your bath water, and the other was the camp soup. To you, +Fraulein, I brought the camp soup." + +We who had worked with the Serbians had learned to respect and +admire them for their patriotism, courage and patient endurance. +We felt that their outstanding characteristic was their imagination, +which, turned into the proper channels and given a chance to +develop, should produce for the world not only famous painters +and poets but also great inventors. This vivid imagination is found +in the highest and lowest of the land. To illustrate it, I told my +neighbour at table a tale related to me by my good friend Dr. +Popovic. "Two weary, ragged Serbian soldiers were sitting huddled +together waiting to be ordered forward to fight. One asked the +other, 'Do you know how this War started, Milan? You don't. Well +then I'll tell you. The Sultan of Turkey sent our King Peter a sack of +rice. King Peter looked at the sack, smiled, then took a very small +bag and went into his garden and filled it with red pepper. He sent +the bag of red pepper to the Sultan of Turkey. Now, Milan, you can +see what that meant. The Sultan of Turkey said to our Peter, 'My +army is as numerous as the grains of rice in this sack,' and by +sending a small bag of red pepper to the Sultan our Peter replied, +'My Army is not very numerous, but it is mighty hot stuff.'" + +Many members of the Units of the Scottish Women's Hospitals +who had been driven out of Serbia at the time of the great invasion +had asked to be allowed to return to work for the Serbians, and we +were now equipping fresh units, entirely staffed by women, to +serve with the Serbian Army, besides having at the present time +the medical care of six thousand Serbian refugees on the island of +Corsica. + +General Petain said smiling that before the war he had sometimes +thought of women "as those who inspired the most beautiful ideas +in men and prevented them from carrying them out," but the war, +he added, had certainly proved conclusively the value of women's +work. + +M. Forain expressed the desire to visit the chief French Hospital of +the Scottish Women at the Abbaye de Royaumont. The General +laughingly told him, "You do not realise how stern and devoted to +duty those ladies are. I wonder if you would be permitted to visit +them?" + +I consoled M. Forain by pointing out that surely as chief Camoufler +(disguiser) of the French Army, he could disguise himself as a +model of virtue (de se camoufler en bon garcon). Certainly this son +of France, who has turned his brilliant intellect and his art to the +saving of men's lives, would be welcome anywhere and everywhere. +I hastened to assure him that I was only teasing him, and added +that I only teased the people I admired and liked. General Petain +immediately turned to the Commandant de Pulligny--"Please remark +that she has not yet teased me." "Probably because she fears +to do it, and has too much respect for you," replied the Commandant. +"Fears! I do not think we need talk of that just now, when she +dares to go to Verdun." + +Whilst at coffee after lunch the news came of the continued +advance of the British troops. General Petain turned to me and +said, "You must indeed be proud in England of your new army. +Please tell your English people of our admiration of the magnificent +effort of England. The raising and equipping of your giant army in +such a short time was indeed a colossal task. How well it was +carried out all the world now knows and we are reaping the +harvest." + +The General's Chief of Staff added: "Lord Kitchener was right +when he said the war would last three years"--"the first year +preparation, the second year defence, and the third year cela sera +rigolo (it will be huge sport)." He quoted the phrase as Lord +Kitchener's own. + +Before we left the General signed for me the menu of the lunch, +pointing out to me, however, that if I were at any time to show the +menu to the village policeman I must assure him that the hare +which figured thereon had been run over at night by a motor car +and lost its life owing to an accident, otherwise he might, he +feared, be fined for killing game out of season! + +I shall always remember the picture of General Petain seeing us +into our car with his parting words, "You are about to do the most +dangerous thing you have ever done or will ever do in your life. As +for Verdun, tell them in England that I am smiling and I am sure +that when you see General Nivelle you will find him smiling too. +That is the best answer I can give you as to how things are going +with us at Verdun." Then with a friendly wave of his hand we +passed on our way. + +After leaving the Headquarters of General Petain we were held up +for some time at a level crossing and watched the busy little train +puffing along, carrying towards Verdun stores, munitions and men. +This level crossing had been the scene of active fighting; on each +side were numerous graves, and the sentinels off duty were +passing from one to the other picking a dead leaf or drawing a +branch of trailing vine over the resting places of their comrades. + +Above our heads circled "les guipes" the wasps of the French +Army. They had been aroused by the appearance of a Taube and +were preparing to sting had the Taube waited or made any further +attempt to proceed over the French lines. However, deciding that +discretion was the better part of valour, it turned and fled. + +It is unwise, however, to stir up the "wasps of France"; they +followed it, and later in the day we heard that it had been brought +down near Verdun. + +We were now in the centre of activity of the army defending +Verdun. On every hand we saw artillery parks, ammunition parks, +and regiments resting, whilst along the road a long line of camions +passed unceasingly. During the whole length of my stay on the +French Front I only saw one regiment marching. Everywhere the +men are conveyed in the camions, and are thus spared the fatigue +which would otherwise be caused by the intense heat and the +white dust. There are perhaps only two things that can in any way +upset the perfect indifference to difficulties of the French trooper: +he hates to walk, and he refuses to be deprived of his "pinard." +The men of the French Army have named their red wine "pinard," +just as they call water "la flotte," always, however, being careful to +add that "la flotte" is excellent "for washing one's feet." + +As we passed through the Headquarters of General Nivelle, he +sent down word to us not to wait to call on him then, but to proceed +at once to Verdun as later the passage would become more +difficult. He kindly sent down to us one of the officers of his staff to +act as escort. The officer sat by our chauffeur, warning him of the' +dangerous spots in the road which the Germans had the habit of +"watering" from time to time with "marmites," and ordering him to +put on extra speed. Our speed along the road into Verdun +averaged well over a mile a minute. + + + + +The "Movies" Under Fire + + + +Within range of the German guns, probably not more than four or +five kilometres from Verdun, we came on a line of men waiting +their turn to go into the cinema. After all there was no reason "de +s'en faire," and if they were alive they decided they might as well +be happy and amused. Just before entering the gate of Verdun we +passed a number of ambulances, some of them driven by the +American volunteers. These young Americans have displayed +splendid heroism in bringing in the wounded under difficult +conditions. Many of them have been mentioned in despatches, +and have received from France the Croix de Guerre. I also saw an +ambulance marked "Lloyds." + +It would be useless to pretend that one entered Verdun without +emotion,--Verdun, sorely stricken, yet living, kept alive by the +indomitable soul of the soldiers of France, whilst her wounds are +daily treated and healed by the skill of her Generals. A white city of +desolation, scorched and battered, yet the brightest jewel in the +crown of France's glory; a shining example to the world of the +triumph of human resistance and the courage of men. A city of +strange and cruel sounds. The short, sharp bark of the 75's, the +boom of the death-dealing enemy guns, the shrieks of the shells +and the fall of masonry parting from houses to which it had been +attached for centuries, whilst from the shattered window frames +the familiar sprite of the household looked ever for the children +who came no longer across the thresholds of the homes. Verdun +is no longer a refuge for all that is good and beautiful and tender, +and so the sounds of the voices of children and of birds are heard +no more. Both have flown; the children were evacuated with the +civilians in the bitter months of February and March, and the birds, +realising that there is no secure place in which to nest, have +deserted not only Verdun but the whole of the surrounding district. + +We proceeded to a terrace overlooking the lower part of the town +and witnessed a duel between the French and German artillery. +The Germans were bombarding the barracks of Chevert, and from +all around the French guns were replying. It was certainly a joy to +note that for one boom of a German cannon there were certainly +ten answers from the French guns. The French soldiers off duty +should have been resting in the caves and dug-outs which have +been prepared for them, but most of them were out on the +terraces in different parts of the city, smoking and casually +watching the effect of the German or of their own fire. I enquired of +one Poilu whether he would be glad to leave Verdun, and he +laughingly replied: "One might be worse off than here. This is the +time of year that in peace times I should have been staying in the +country with my mother-in-law." + +There is no talk of peace in Verdun. I asked one of the men when +he thought the war would end. "Perfectly simple to reply to that, +Mademoiselle; the war will end the day that hostilities cease." + +I believe that the Germans would not be sorry to abandon the +siege of Verdun. In one of the French newspapers I saw the +following verse: + +Boches, a l'univers votre zele importun +Fait des "communiques" dont personne n'est dupe. +Vous dites: "Nos soldats occuperont Verdun. +Jusqu'ici c'est plutot Verdun qui les occupe." + +(You say that you soon will hold Verdun, Whilst really Verdun holds +you.) + +We left the car and climbed through the ruined streets to the top of +the citadel. No attempt has been made to remove any of the +furniture or effects from the demolished houses. In those houses +from which only the front had been blown away the spoons and +forks were in some instances still on the table, set ready for the +meal that had been interrupted. + +From windows lace curtains and draperies hung out over the +fronts of the houses. Everywhere shattered doors, broken +cupboards, drawers thrown open where the inhabitants had +thought to try to save some of their cherished belongings, but had +finally fled leaving all to the care of the soldiers, who protect the +property of the inhabitants as carefully as if it were their own. + +It would be difficult to find finer custodians. I was told that at +Bobigny, pres Bourget, there is on one of the houses the following +inscription worthy of classical times: + +"The proprietor of this house has gone to the War. He leaves this +dwelling to the care of the French. Long live France." And he left +the key in the lock. + +The soldiers billeted in the house read the inscription, which met +with their approval, and so far each regiment in passing had +cleaned out the little dwelling and left it in perfect order. + +From the citadel we went down into the trenches which led to the +lines at Thiaumont. The heat in the city was excessive but in the +trenches it was delightfully cool, perhaps a little too cool. We heard +the men make no complaints except that at times the life was a +little "monotonous"! One man told me that he was once in a trench +that was occupied at the same time by the French and the +Germans. There was nothing between them but sand bags and a +thick wall of clay, and day and night the French watched that wall. +One day a slight scratching was heard. The men prepared to face +the crumbling of the barrier when through a small hole popped out +the head of a brown rabbit. Down into the trench hopped Mrs. +Bunny, followed by two small bunnies, and although rabbit for +lunch would have improved the menu the men had not the heart to +kill her. On the contrary they fed her on their rations and at night- +fall she departed, followed by her progeny. + +From all the dug-outs heads popped out and the first movement of +surprise at seeing a woman in the trenches turned to a smile of +delight, since the Poilu is at all times a chivalrous gentleman. One +man was telling me of the magnificent work that had been +accomplished by his "compagnie." I congratulated him and told +him he must be happy to be in such a company. He swept off his +iron casque, bowed almost to the ground, and answered: "Certainly +I am happy in my company, Mademoiselle, but I am far happier in +yours." The principal grief of the Poilus appeared to be that a shell +two or three days before had destroyed the store of the great "dragee" +(sugared almond) manufactory of Verdun. Before leaving the +manufacturer had bequeathed his stock to the Army and they were +all regretting that they had not been greedier and eaten up the +"dragees" quicker. + +In the trenches near Verdun, as in the trenches in Flanders, you +find the men talking little of war, but much of their homes and their +families. I came once upon a group of Bretons. They had opened +some tins of sardines and sitting around a bucket of blazing coals +they were toasting the fish on the ends of small twigs. I asked +them why they were wasting their energies since the fish were +ready to be eaten straight from the tins. "We know," they replied, +"but it smells like home." I suppose with the odour of the cooking +fish, in the blue haze of the smoke, they saw visions of their +cottages and the white-coiffed Bretonnes frying the fresh sardines +that they had caught. + +The dusk was now falling and, entering the car, we proceeded +towards the lower part of the town at a snail's pace in order not to +draw the German fire. We were told that at the present time +approximately one hundred shells a day still fall on Verdun, but at +the time of the great attack the number was as high as eight +hundred, whilst as many as two hundred thousand shells fell daily +in and around Verdun. + +Just before we reached the entrance to the citadel the enemy +began to shell the city and one of the shells exploded within two +hundred feet of the car. We knew that we were near the entrance +to the vaults of the citadel and could take refuge, so we left the car +and proceeded on foot. Without thinking we walked in the centre of +the road, and the sentinel at the door of the citadel began in +somewhat emphatic French to recommend us to "longer les murs" +(to hug the walls tightly). The Germans are well aware of the +entrance to the citadel and daily shell the spot. If one meets a shell +in the centre of the road it is obviously no use to argue, whilst in +hugging the side of the wall there is a possibility of only receiving +the fragments of the bursting shell. + + + + +A Subterranean City + + + +The subterranean galleries of the citadel of Verdun were +constructed by Vauban, and are now a hive of activity--barbers' +shops, sweet shops, boot shops, hospitals, anything and. +everything which goes to make up a small city. + +One of the young officers placed his "cell" at our disposal. The +long galleries are all equipped with central heating and electric light +and some of them have been divided off by wooden partitions or +curtains like the dormitories in a large school. In the "cell" allocated +to us we could see the loving touch of a woman's hand. Around +the pillow on the small camp bed was a beautiful edging of Irish +lace, and on the dressing-table a large bottle of Eau-de-Cologne. +There is no reason to be too uncomfortable in Verdun when one +has a good little wife to think of one and to send presents from +time to time. + +Emerging from the galleries we met General Dubois, a great +soldier and a kindly man, one who shares the daily perils of his +men. The General invited us to remain and dine with him. He had +that day received from General Nivelle his "cravate" as +Commander of the Legion of Honour, and his officers were giving +him a dinner-party to celebrate the event. "See how kind fate is to +me," he added; "only one thing was missing from the feast--the +presence of the ladies--and here you are." + +It would need the brush of Rembrandt to paint the dining-hall in the +citadel of Verdun. At one long table in the dimly lighted vault sat +between eighty and ninety officers, who all rose, saluted, and +cheered as we entered. The General sat at the head of the table +surrounded by his staff, and behind him the faces of the cooks +were lit up by the fires of the stoves. + +Some short distance behind us was an air-shaft. It appears that +about a week or a fortnight before our arrival a German shell, +striking the top part of the citadel, dislodged some dust and gravel +which fell down the air-shaft onto the General's head. He simply +called the attendants to him and asked for his table to be moved +forward a yard, as he did not feel inclined to sit at table with his +helmet on. + +An excellent dinner--soup, roast mutton, fresh beans, salade +Russe, Frangipane, dessert--and even champagne to celebrate +the General's cravate--quite reassured us that people may die in +Verdun of shells but not of hunger. We drank toasts to France, the +Allies, and, silently, to the men of France who had died that we +might live. I was asked to propose the health of the General and +did it in English, knowing that he spoke English well. I told him that +the defenders of Verdun would live in our hearts and memories; +that on behalf of the whole British race I felt I might convey to him +congratulations on the honour paid to him by France. I assured +him that we had but one idea and one hope, the speedy victory of +the Allied arms, and that personally my present desire was that +every one of those present at table might live to see the flag of +France waving over the whole of Alsace-Lorraine. They asked me +to repeat a description of the flag of France which I gave first in +Ottawa, so there, in the citadel of Verdun with a small French flag +before me, I went back in spirit to Ottawa and remembered how I +had spoken of the triumph of the flag of France: "The red, white +and blue--the red of the flag of France a little deeper hue than in +time of peace since it was dyed with the blood of her sons, the +blood in which a new history of France is being written, volume on +volume, page on page, of deeds of heroism, some pages completed +and signed, others where the pen has dropped from the faltering +hands and which posterity must needs finish. The white of the flag +of France, not quite so white as in time of peace since thousands +of her sons had taken it in their hands and pressed it to their lips +before they went forward to die for it, yet without stain, since in all +the record of the war there is no blot on the escutcheon of France. +And the blue of the flag of France, true blue, torn and tattered with +the marks of the bullets and the shrapnel, yet unfurling proudly in +the breeze whilst the very holes were patched by the blue of the +sky, since surely Heaven stands behind the flag of France." + +The men of Verdun were full of admiration for the glorious +Commander of the Fort de Vaux. They told me that the fort was +held, or rather the ruins of the fort, until the Germans were actually +on the top and firing on the French beneath. + +I discussed with my neighbour the fact that the Germans had more +hatred for us than for the French. He said the whole world would +ridicule the Germans for the manner in which they had exploited +the phrase "Gott strafe England," writing it even on the walls +anywhere and everywhere. He added laughingly that it should not +worry the English comrades. "When they read 'Gott strafe +England' all they needed to reply was 'Ypres, Ypres, Hurrah!'" + + + + +Poilu And Tommy + + + +He informed me that he had been stationed for some time with his +regiment near the English troops, and there had been loud +lamentations among the Poilus because they had been obliged to +say good-bye to their English comrades. He added that the +affection was not entirely disinterested. The English comrades had +excellent marmalade and jam and other good things which they +shared with their French brothers, who, whilst excellently fed, do +not indulge in these luxuries. He told me a delightful tale of a +French cook who, seeing an English soldier standing by, began to +question him as to his particular branch of the service, informing +him that he himself had had an exceedingly busy morning peeling +potatoes and cleaning up the pots and pans. After considerable +conversation he inquired of the English comrade what he did for +his living. "Oh," replied the Englishman, "I get my living fairly easily; +nothing half so strenuous as peeling potatoes. I am just a +colonel."!! + +The clean-shaven Tommy is the beloved of all France. I remember +seeing one gallant khaki knight carrying the market basket of a +French maiden and repaying himself out of her store of apples. I +regret to say his pockets bulged suspiciously. Whilst at a level +crossing near by, the old lady in charge of the gate had an escort +of "Tommies" who urged her to let the train "rip." This was +somewhat ironical in view of the fact that the top speed in that part +of the war zone was probably never more than ten miles an hour. + +Tommy is never alone The children have learned that he loves +their company and he is always surrounded by an escort of +youthful admirers. The children like to rummage in his pockets for +souvenirs: he must spend quite a good deal of his pay purchasing +sweets so that they may not be disappointed and that there may +be something for his little friends to find. I remember seeing one +Tommy, sitting in the dusty road with a large pot of marmalade +between his legs, dealing out spoonfuls with perfect justice and +impartiality to a circle of youngsters. He speaks to them of his own +little "nippers" at home and they in turn tell him of their father who +is fighting, of their mother who now works in the fields, and of baby +who is fearfully ignorant, does not know the difference between the +French and the "Engleesch" and who insisted on calling the great +English General who had stayed at their farm "Papa." It matters +little that they cannot understand each other, and it does not in the +least prevent them from holding lengthy conversations. + +I told my companion at table that whilst visiting one of the hospitals +in France I had heard how one Englishman had been sent into a +far hospital in Provence by mistake. He was not seriously injured +and promptly constituted himself king of the ward. On arrival he +insisted on being shaved. As no shaving brush was available the +"piou-piou" in the next bed lathered him with his tooth brush. The +French cooking did not appeal to him, and he grumbled continuously. +The directress of the hospital sent her own cook from her chateau +to cater for Mr. Atkins. An elaborate menu was prepared. Tommy +glanced through it, ordered everything to be removed, and commanded +tea and toast. Toast-making is not a French art and the chateau +chef was obliged to remain at the hospital and spend his time +carefully preparing the toast and seeing that it was served in +good condition. When Mr. Atkins felt so disposed he would +summon a piou-piou to give him a French lesson or else request +the various inmates of the ward to sing to him. He would in turn +render that plaintive ditty, "Down by the Old Bull and Bush." +A nurse who spoke a little English translated his song to the +French soldiers! Whilst not desiring to criticise the rendez-vous +selected by their "camerade anglais," they did not consider that +"pres d'un vieux taureau" (near an old bull) was a safe or desirable +meeting-place. When I explained to the nurse that "The Bull and Bush" +was a kind of cabaret she hastened from ward to ward to tell the +men that after all the Englishman might have selected a worse +spot to entertain his girl. He was at once the joy and the despair +of the whole hospital and the nurse had much trouble in consoling +the patients when "our English" was removed. + + + + +Abbreviated French + + + +When Tommy indulges in the use of the French language he +abbreviates it as much as possible. + +One hot summer's day driving from Boulogne to Fort Mahon, half +way down a steep hill we came upon two Tommies endeavouring +to extract a motor cycle and a side-car from a somewhat difficult +position. They had side-slipped and run into a small tree. The cycle +was on one side and the side-car on the other, and a steel rod +between had been rammed right into the wood through the force +of the collision. + +My three companions and myself endeavoured to help the men to +pull out the rod, but the united efforts of the six of us proved +unavailing. We hailed a passing cart and tied the reins around the +motor-cycle, but immediately the horse commenced to pull the +leather of the reins snapped. Behind the cart walked a peasant. +Only one adjective can possibly describe him: he was decidedly +"beer-y." He made no attempt to help but passed from one Tommy +to the other, patting them on their backs, assuring them "that with +a little good-will all would be well." There was a dangerous glint in +the youngest Tommy's eye, but in the presence of ladies he +refrained from putting his thoughts into words. Finally, his patience +evaporating, he suddenly turned on the peasant and shouted at +him, "Ong! Ong!" It took me some time to grasp that this was +Tommy's abbreviated version of "Allez vous en" (Clear out). In any +event it proved quite useless, as he continued to pat the Tommies +affectionately and to bombard them with impracticable suggestions. + +We were joined later by three villagers, two gendarmes and a +postman, and, all pulling together, we managed to extract the rod +from the tree. A large lorry was passing and on to it we heaved the +wreckage. Up clambered the Tommies, followed by their unwelcome +friend, who managed to sit on the only unbroken portion of the +side-car. This was too much for Messrs. Atkins' equanimity. +Limp with laughter, we watched them pass from sight amidst a +chorus of "Ong! Ong!" followed by flights of oratory in the English +tongue which do not bear repeating, but which were received by the +peasant as expressions of deep esteem and to which he replied +by endeavouring to kiss the Tommies and shouting, "Vive l'Angleterre! +All right! Hoorah!" + +Our guiding officer began to show some signs of anxiety to have +us leave before ten o'clock, but the good-byes took some time. +Presents were showered upon us, German dragees (shell heads +and pieces of shrapnel), and the real French dragees, the famous +sweet of Verdun. + +We crept out of the city, but unfortunately at one of the dangerous +crossroads our chauffeur mistook the route. A heavy bombardment +was taking place and the French were replying. We were lucky enough +to get on to the route and into safety before any shell fell near us. +It appears that the Germans systematically bombard the roads +at night, hoping to destroy the camions bringing up the food for +the city, fresh munitions and men. + +We slept that night at Bar-le-Duc, and next morning saw the +various ambulances and hospitals which the Service de Sante had +particularly requested me to visit. I was impressed by the splendid +organisation of the Red Cross even quite close to the firing line. + + + + +The Brown And Black Sons Of France + + + +Passing through one tent hospital an Algerian called out to me: +"Ohe, la blonde, viens ici! J'ai quelque chose de beau a te +montrer." (Come here, fair girl, I have something pretty to show +you.) He was sitting up in bed, and, as I approached, unbuttoned +his bed-jacket and insisted on my examining the tag of his vest on +which was written, "Leader, London." The vest had come in a +parcel of goods from the London Committee of the French Red +Cross, and I only wished that the angel of goodness and +tenderness, who is the Presidente of the Croix Rouge, Mme. de la +Panouse, and that Mr. D. H. Illingworth, Mr. Philip Wilkins, and all +her able lieutenants, could have seen the pleasure on the face of +this swarthy defender of France. In the next bed was a Senegalais +who endeavoured to attract my attention by keeping up a running +compliment to my compatriots, my King, and myself. He must +have chanted fifty times: "Vive les English, Georges, et toil" He +continued even after I had rewarded him with some cigarettes. +The Senegalais and the Algerians are really great children, +especially when they are wounded. I have seen convalescent +Senegalais and Algerians in Paris spend hours in the Champs +Elysees watching the entertainment at the open-air marionette +theatre. The antics of the dolls kept them amused. They are +admitted to the enclosure free, and there is no longer any room for +the children who frequented the show in happier days. These latter +form a disconsolate circle on the outside, whilst the younger ones, +who do not suffer from colour prejudice, scramble onto the knees +of the black soldiers. + +The sister in charge was a true daughter of the "Lady of the +Lamp." Provided they are really ill, she sympathises with all the +grumblers, but scolds them if they have reached the convalescent +stage. She carries a small book in which she enters imaginary +good points to those who have the tables by their beds tidy, and +she pinned an invisible medal on the chest of a convalescent who +was helping to carry trays of food to his comrades. She is indeed a +General, saving men for France. + +Not a man escaped her attention, and as we passed through the +tents she gave to each of her "chers enfants," black or white, a +cheering smile or a kindly word. She did, however, whilst talking to +us, omit to salute a Senegalais. Before she passed out of the tent +he commenced to call after her, "Toi pas gentille aujourd'hui, moi +battre toi." (You are not good to me to-day; me beat you.) This, it +appears, is his little joke--he will never beat any one again, since +he lost both his arms when his trench was blown up by a land +mine. + +It was at Triancourt that I first saw in operation the motor-cars that +had been sent out fitted with bath tubs for the troops, and also a +very fine car fitted up by the London Committee of the French Red +Cross as a moving dental hospital. + +I regret to add that a "Poilu" near by disrespectfully referred to it as +"another of the horrors of war," adding that in times of peace there +was some kind of personal liberty, whereas now "a man could not +have toothache without being forced to have it ended, and that +there was no possibility of escaping a dentist who hunted you +down by motor." + +It was suggested that as I had had a touch of toothache the night +before, I might take my place in the chair and give an example of +British pluck to the assembled "Poilus." I hastened to impress on +the surgeon that I hated notoriety and would prefer to remain +modestly in the background. I even pushed aside with scorn the +proffered bribe of six "Boche," buttons, assuring the man that "I +would keep my toothache as a souvenir." + +At one of the hospitals beside the bed of a dying man sat a little +old man writing letters. They told me that before the war he had +owned the most flourishing wine shop in the village. He had fled +before the approach of the German troops, but later returned to his +village and installed himself in the hospital as scribe. He wrote +from morning until night, and, watching him stretching his lean old +hands, I asked him if he suffered much pain from writers' cramp. +He looked at me almost reproachfully before answering, "Mademoiselle, +it is the least I can do for my country; besides my pain is so slight +and that of the comrades so great. I am proud, indeed proud, +that at sixty-seven years of age I am not useless." + +I was shown a copy of the last letter dictated by a young French +officer, and I asked to be allowed to copy it--it was indeed a letter +of a "chic" type. + + +Chers Parrain et Marraine, + +Je vous ecris a vous pour ne pas tuer Maman qu'un pareil coup +surprendrait trop. + +J'ai ete blesse le ... devant ... J'ai deux blessures hideuses et je +n'en aurai pas pour bien longtemps. Les majors ne me le cachent +meme pas. + +Je pars sans regret avec la conscience d'avoir fait mon devoir. + +Prevenez done mes parents le mieux que vous pourrez; qu'ils ne +cherchent pas a venir, ils n'en auraient pas le temps. + +Adieu vous tous que j'aimais. + +VIVE LA FRANCE! + + +Dear Godfather and Godmother, + +I am writing to you so as not to kill Mother, whom such a shock +would surprise too much. I was wounded on the ... at ... I have two +terrible wounds and I cannot last long. The surgeons do not even +attempt to conceal this from me. I go without regret, with the +consciousness of having done my duty. Kindly break the news to +my parents the best way you can; they should not attempt to come +because they would not have time to reach me before the end. + +Farewell to all you whom I have loved. + +LONG LIVE FRANCE! + + +Whilst loving his relatives tenderly, the last thought of the dying +Frenchman is for his country. Each one dies as a hero, yet not one +realises it. It would be impossible to show greater simplicity; they +salute the flag for the last time and that is all. + + + + +At General Nivelle's Headquarters + + + +From Triancourt we went straight to the Headquarters of General +Nivelle. They had just brought him the maps rectified to mark the +French advance. The advance had been made whilst we were +standing on the terrace at Verdun the night before. We had seen +the rockets sent up, requesting a "tir de barrage" (curtain of fire). +The 75's had replied at once and the French had been able to +carry out the operation. + +Good news had also come in from the Somme, and General +Nivelle did not hesitate to express his admiration for the British +soldiers. + +He said that there was no need to praise the first troops sent by +Britain to France, every one knew their value, but it should be a +great satisfaction to Britain to find that the new army was living up +to the traditions of the old army. + +He added: "We can describe the new Army of Britain in two words: +Ca mord--it bites." + +The Father of his own men, it is not surprising that General Nivelle +finds a warm corner in his heart for the British Tommy, since his +Mother was an Englishwoman. + +At lunch General Nivelle and the members of his staff asked many +questions as to the work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. I told +them that what appealed to us most in our French patients was the +perfect discipline and the gratitude of the men. We are all women +in the Hospitals, and the men might take advantage of this fact to +show want of discipline, but we never had to complain of lack of +obedience. These soldiers of France may some of them before the +war have been just rough peasants, eating, drinking, and sleeping; +even having thoughts not akin to knighthood, but now, through the +ordeal of blood and fire, each one of them has won his spurs and +come out a chivalrous knight, and they bring their chivalry right into +the hospitals with them. We had also learned to love them for their +kindness to one another. When new wounded are brought in and +the lights are low in the hospital wards, cautiously watching if the +Nurse is looking (luckily Nurses have a way of not seeing +everything), one of the convalescents will creep from his bed to +the side of the new arrival and ask the inevitable question: "D'ou +viens-tu?" (Where do you come from?) "I come from Toulouse," +replies the man. "Ah," says the enquirer, "my wife's Grandmother +had a cousin who lived near Toulouse." That is quite a sufficient +basis for a friendship. The convalescent sits by the bedside of his +new comrade, holding the man's hand, whilst his wounds are +being dressed, telling him he knows of the pain, that he, too, has +suffered, and that soon all will be well. + +Lions to fight, ever ready to answer to the call of the defence of +their country, yet these men of France are tender and gentle. In +one hospital through which I passed there was a baby. It was a +military hospital, and no civilian had any right there, but the +medical officers who inspected the hospital were remarkably blind +--none of them could ever see the baby. One of the soldiers +passing through a bombarded village saw a little body lying in the +mud, and although he believed the child to be dead he stooped +down and picked it up. At the evacuating station the baby and the +soldier were sent to the hospital together; the doctors operated +upon the baby and took a piece of shrapnel from its back, and, +once well and strong, it constituted itself lord and master and king +of all it surveyed. When it woke in the morning it would call "Papa" +and twenty fathers answered to its call. All the pent-up love of the +men for their own little ones from whom they had been parted for +so long they lavished on the tiny stranger, but all his affection and +his whole heart belonged to the rough miner soldier who had +brought him in. As the shadows fell one saw the man walking up +and down the ward with the child in his arms, crooning the +"Marseillaise" until the tired little eyes closed. He had obtained +permission from the authorities to adopt the child as the parents +could not be found, and remarked humorously: "Mademoiselle, it is +so convenient to have a family without the trouble of being +married!" + +What we must remember is that the rough soldier, himself blinded +with blood and mud, uncertain whether he could ever reach a point +of safety, yet had time to stoop and pick that little flower of France +and save it from being crushed beneath the cannon wheels. I told +General Nivelle that the hospital staff intended to keep the child for +the soldier until the end of the war, and we all hoped that he might +grow up to the glory of France and to the eternal honour of the +tender-hearted fighter who had rescued him. + +After lunch we stood for some time watching the unending stream +of camions proceeding into Verdun. I believe it has been stated +that on the average one passed through the village every fifteen +seconds, and that there are something like twelve thousand motor +vehicles used in the defence of Verdun. The splendid condition of +the roads and the absence of all confusion in the handling of this +immense volume of traffic are a great tribute to the organising +genius of the chiefs of the French Army. + +We left General Nivelle as General Petain predicted we should find +him--smiling. + + + + +Rheims + + + +We slept that night at Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne +district. The soil of France is doing its best to keep the vines in +perfect condition and to provide a good vintage to be drunk later to +celebrate the victory of France and her Allies. The keeping of the +roads in good condition is necessary for the rapid carrying out of +operations on the Front, and a "marmite" hole is promptly filled if +by a lucky shot the German batteries happen to tear up the +roadway. We were proceeding casually along one road when a +young officer rode up to us and told us to put on speed because +we were under fire from a German battery which daily landed one +or two shells in that particular portion of the roadway. It is +wonderful how obedient one becomes at times! We promptly +proceeded to hasten! After visiting General Debeney and obtaining +from him the necessary authorisation and an officer escort, we +entered Rheims. + +The cathedral is now the home of pigeons, and as they fly in and +out of the blackened window-frames small pieces of the stained +glass tinkle down on to the floor. The custodian of the cathedral +told us that during the night of terror the German wounded, lying in +the cathedral, not realising the strength and beauty of the French +character under adversity, feared, seeing the cathedral in flames, +that the populace might wreak vengeance on them, and that it was +exceedingly difficult to get them to leave the cathedral. Many of the +prisoners fled into corners and hid, and some of them even +penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop, which was in flames. +All the world knows and admires the bravery of the cure of the +cathedral, M. Landrieux, who took upon himself the defence of the +prisoners, for fear insults might be hurled at them. He knowingly +risked his life, but when, next day, some of his confreres +endeavoured to praise him he replied: "My friends, I never before +realised how easy it was to die." + +One of the churches in the city was heavily draped in black, and I +asked the sacristan if they had prepared for the funeral of a +prominent citizen. He told me that they were that day bringing +home the body of a young man of high birth of the neighbourhood, +but that it was not for him that the church was decked in mourning. +The draperies had hung there since August, 1914--"Since every +son of Rheims who is brought home is as noble as the one who +comes to-day, and alas! nearly every day brings us one of our +children." + +We lunched in the hotel before the cathedral, where each shell +hole has an ordinary white label stuck beside it with the date. The +landlord remarked: "If you sit here long enough, and have the +good luck to be in some safe part of the building, you may be able +to go and stick a label on a hole yourself." + +After lunch we went out to the Chateau Polignac. To a stranger it +would appear to be almost entirely destroyed, but when M. de +Polignac visited it recently he simply remarked that it was "less +spoilt than he had imagined." This was just one other example of +the thousands one meets daily of the spirit of noble and peasant, +"de ne pas s'en faire" but to keep only before them the one idea, +Victory for France, no matter what may be the cost. + +We went later to call on the "75," chez elle. Madame was in a +particularly comfortable home which had been prepared for her +and where she was safe from the inquisitive eyes of the Taubes. +The men of the battery were sitting round their guns, singing a +somewhat lengthy ditty, each verse ending with a declamation and +a description of the beauty of "la belle Suzanne." I asked them to +whom Suzanne belonged and where the fair damsel resided. "Oh," +they replied, "we have no time to think of damsels called 'Suzanne' +now. This is our Suzanne," and the speaker affectionately gave an +extra rub with his coat sleeve to the barrel of the "75." By a +wonderful system of trench work it is possible for the gunners, in +case of necessity, to take refuge in the champagne vaults in the +surrounding district, and it is in the champagne vaults that the +children go daily to school, with their little gas masks hanging in +bags on their arms. It appears that at first the tiny ones were +frightened of the masks, but they soon asked, like their elders, to +be also given a sack, and now one and all have learnt at the least +alarm to put on their masks. There is no need to tell the children to +hurry home. They realise that it is not wise to loiter in the streets for +fear of the whistling shells. They are remarkably plucky, these +small men and women of France. + +During one furious bombardment the children were safe in the +vaults, but one small citizen began to cry bitterly. He was +reproached by his comrades for cowardice, but he replied +indignantly: "I fear nothing for myself. I am safe here, but there is +no cellar to our house, and oh, what will happen to the little +mother?" The teacher reassured him by telling him that his mother +would certainly take refuge in somebody's else cellar. + +On leaving Rheims we passed through various small hamlets +where the houses had been entirely destroyed, and which now +had the appearance of native villages, as the soldiers had +managed to place thatched roofs on any place which had any +semblance of walls standing. + +At Villars Coterets the Guard Champetre sounded the "Gare a +Vous!" Four Taubes were passing overhead, so we took refuge in +the hotel for tea. The enemy did no damage in that particular +village, but in the next village of Crepy-en-Valois a bomb killed one +child and injured five women. + + + + +At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo + + + +At his Headquarters next morning I had the honour of being +received by Generalissimo Joffre and telling him of the admiration +and respect which we felt for him and for the magnificent fighting +spirit of the troops under his able command. He replied modestly +by speaking of the British army. He referred to the offensive on the +Somme, and said, "You may well be proud of your young soldiers; +they are excellent soldiers, much superior to the Germans in every +way, a most admirable infantry; they attack the Germans hand to +hand with grenades or with the bayonet and push them back +everywhere; the Germans have been absolutely stupefied to find +such troops before them." The General then paid a tribute to the +Canadian and Australian troops and told me that that day the +Australians had taken new territory, adding, "And not only have +they taken it, but, like their British and Canadian brothers, what +they take they will hold." + +I explained to General Joffre that, whilst I was not collecting +autographs, I had with me the menu of the dinner in the Citadel at +Verdun and that it would give me great pleasure to have his name +added to the signatures already on that menu. All the signatures +were on one side, so I turned the menu over in order to offer him a +clear space, but he turned it back again, saying, "Please let me +sign on this side. I find myself in good company with the defenders +of Verdun." + +At departing he said to me, "We may all be happy now since +certainly we are on the right side of the hill." ("Nous sommes sur la +bonne pente.") + +In case this little story should fall into the hands of any woman who +has spent her time working for the men at the Front, I would like to +tell her the great pleasure it is to them to receive parcels, no matter +what they contain. Fraternity and Equality reign supreme in the +trenches, and the man counts himself happy who receives a little +more than the others, since he has the joy and the pleasure of +sharing his store of good things with his comrades. There is +seldom a request made to the French behind the lines that they do +not attempt to fulfil. I remember last winter, passing through a town +in the provinces, I noticed that the elderly men appeared to be +scantily clad in spite of the bitterness of the weather. It appeared +that the call had gone forth for fur coats for the troops, and all the +worthy citizens of the town forwarded to the trenches their caracul +coats. Only those who are well acquainted with French provincial +life can know what it means to them to part with these signs of +opulence and commercial success. + +It is perhaps in the Post Offices that you find yourself nearest to +the heart of "France behind the lines." + +One morning I endeavoured to send a parcel to a French soldier. I +took my place in a long line of waiting women bound on the same +errand. A white-haired woman before me gave the Post Office +Clerk infinite trouble. They are not renowned for their patience and +I marvelled at his gentleness until he explained. "Her son died five +weeks ago, but she still continues to send him parcels." + +To another old lady he pointed out that she had written two +numbers on the parcel. "You don't want two numbers, Mother. +Which is your boy's number? Tell me and I will strike out the +other." "Leave them both," she answered. "Who knows whether +my dear lad will be there to receive the parcel. If he is not, I want it +to go to some other Mother's son." + +Affection means much to these men who are suffering, and they +respond at once to any sympathy shown to them. One man informed +us with pride that when he left his native village he was "decked +like an altar of the Blessed Virgin on the first of May." In +other words, covered with flowers. + +There are but few lonely soldiers now, since those who have no +families to write to them receive letters and parcels from the +Godmothers who have adopted them. The men anxiously await +the news of their adopted relatives and spend hours writing replies. +They love to receive letters, but, needless to say, a parcel is even +more welcome. + +I remember seeing one man writing page after page. I suggested +to him that he must have a particularly charming Godmother. +"Mademoiselle," he replied, "I have no time for a Godmother since +I myself am a Godfather." He then explained that far away in his +village there was a young assistant in his shop, "And God knows +the boy loves France, but both his lungs are touched, so they +won't take him, but I write and tell him that the good God has given +me strength for two, that I fight for him and for myself, and that we +are both doing well for France." I went back in imagination to the +village. I could see the glint in the boy's eyes, realised how the +blood pulsed quicker through his veins at the sight of, not the +personal pronoun "I" in the singular, but the plural "We are doing +well for France." For one glorious moment he was part of the hosts +of France and in spirit serving his Motherland. It is that spirit of the +French nation that their enemies will never understand. + +On one occasion a young German officer, covered with mud from +head to foot, was brought before one of the French Generals. He +had been taken fighting cleanly, and the General was anxious to +show him kindness. He asked him if he would not prefer to cleanse +himself before examination. The young German drew himself up +and replied: "Look at me, General. I am covered from head to foot +with mud, and that mud is the soil of France--you will never +possess as much soil in Germany." The General turned to him +with that gentle courtesy which marks the higher commands in +France and answered: "Monsieur, we may never possess as +much soil in Germany, but there is something that you will never +possess, and, until you conquer it, you cannot vanquish France, +and that is the spirit of the French people." + +The French find it difficult to understand the arrogance which +appears ingrained in the German character and which existed +before the War. + +I read once that in the guests' book of a French hotel a Teutonic +visitor wrote: + +"L'AIlemagne est la premiere nation du monde." + +The next French visitor merely added: + +"Yes, 'Allemagne is the first country of the world' if we take them in +alphabetical order." + + + + +To The Glory Of The Women Of France + + + +I left the war zone with an increased respect, if this were possible, +for the men of France. They have altered their uniforms, but the +spirit is unchanged. They are no longer in the red and blue of the +old days, but in shades of green, grey and blue, colours blending +to form one mighty ocean--wave on wave of patriotism--beating +against and wearing down the rocks of military preparedness of +forty years, and as no man has yet been able to say to the Ocean +stop, so no man shall cry "Halt" to the Armies of France. + +I have spoken much of the men of France, but the women have +also earned our respect--those splendid peasant women, who +even in times of peace worked, and now carry a double burden on +their shoulders--the middle-class women, endeavouring to keep +together the little business built up by the man with years of toil, +stinting themselves to save five francs to send a parcel to the man +at the Front that he may not suspect that there is not still every +comfort in the little homestead--the noble women of France, who in +past years could not be seen before noon, since my lady was at +her toilette, and who can be seen now, their hands scratched and +bleeding, kneeling on the floors of the hospitals scrubbing, proud +and happy to take their part in national service. The men owe +much of their courage to the attitude of the women who stand +behind them, turning their tears to smiles to urge their men to even +greater deeds of heroism. + +In one of our hospitals was a young lad of seventeen who had +managed to enlist as an "engage volontaire" by lying as to his age. +His old Mother came to visit him, and she told me he was the last +of her three sons; the two elder ones had died the first week of the +war at Pont Mousson, and her little home had been burned to the +ground. The boy had spent his time inventing new and terrible +methods of dealing with the enemy, but with his Mother he +became a child again and tenderly patted the old face. Seeing the +lad in his Mother's arms, and forgetting for one moment the spirit +of the French nation, I asked her if she would not be glad if her boy +was so wounded that she might take him home. She was only an +old peasant woman, but her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed with +anger and turning to me she said, "Mademoiselle, how dare you +say such a thing to me? If all the Mothers, Wives and Sweethearts +thought as you, what would happen to the country? Gustave has +only one thing to do, get well quickly and fight for Mother France." + +Because these women of France have sent their men forth to die, +eyes dry, with stiff lips and head erect, do not think that they do not +mourn for them. When night casts her kindly mantle of darkness +over all, when they are hidden from the eyes of the world, it is then +that the proud heads droop and are bent upon their arms, as the +women cry out in the bitterness of their souls for the men who +have gone from them. Yet they realise that behind them stands the +greatest Mother of all, Mother France, who sees coming towards +her, from her frontiers, line on line of ambulances with their burden +of suffering humanity, yet watches along other routes her sons +going forth in thousands, laughter in their eyes, songs on their lips, +ready and willing to die for her. France draws around her her +tattered and bloodstained robe, yet what matters the outer +raiment? Behind it shines forth her glorious, exultant soul, and she +lifts up her head rejoicing and proclaims to the world that when she +appealed man, woman, and child--the whole of the French nation-- +answered to her call. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11679 *** |