And, monsieur, all those barricades put up for nothing! They will not need the cattle gathered on Longchamps race-track and in the parks at Versailles for a siege. The people who laid in stocks of canned goods till the groceries of Paris were empty of everything in tins--they would either have to live on canned food or confess that they were pigs, _hein_? Those volunteers, whether young men who had been excused because they were only sons or for weak hearts which now let them past the surgeons, whether big, hulking farmers, or labourers, or stooped clerks, drilling in awkward squads in the suburbs till they are dizzy, they will not have to defend Paris; but, perhaps, help to regain Alsace and Lorraine. Then there were stories going the rounds; stories of French courage and _élan_ which were cheering to the ears of those who had to remain at home. Did you hear about the big French peasant soldier who captured a Prussian eagle in Alsace? They had him come to Paris to give him the Legion of Honour and the great men made a ceremony of it, gathering around him at the Ministry of War. The simple fellow looked from one to another of the group, surprised at all this attention. It did not occur to him that he had done anything remarkable. He had seen a Prussian with a standard and taken the standard away from that Prussian. “If you like this so well,” said that droll one, “I’ll try to get another!” _C’est un vrai Français_, that _garçon_. What? V ON THE HEELS OF VON KLUCK An excursion to the front--The magic of a military pass--The high-water mark of German shells--Return of the refugees-- Fate of the villages--War’s results--Burying the dead--The victorious spirit of France--Approaching the line--Roll and smoke of the guns--Passing the motor transports--Army organisation--Line reserves--Newspapers and tobacco--Soissons deserted--Stoicism of the townspeople--German prisoners--The Sixth Army headquarters--A town in ruins--Character of French women--French democracy and humanity. Though the Germans were going, the siege by the cordon of French guards around Paris had not been raised. To them every civilian was a possible spy. So they let no civilians by. Must one remain forever in Paris, screened from any view of the great drama? Was there no way of securing a blue card which would open the road to war for an atom of humanity who wanted to see Frenchmen in action and not to pry into generals’ plans? Happily, an army winning is more hospitable than an army losing; and bonds of friendship which stretch around the world could be linked with authority which has only to say the word in order that one might have a day’s glimpse of the fields where von Kluck’s Germans were showing their heels to the French.