Four men received the red ribbons, but the other three were down only for the military medal which is a high decoration but less esteemed than the Legion of Honor. No kisses went with the green and yellow ribbons of the military medal but only handshakes. Pétain stopped in front of the old sergeant at the end of the line and looked at him for a minute without speaking. Then he called an orderly. "This man has three palms on his croix de guerre," said Pétain. Now a palm means that soldier has been cited for conspicuous bravery in the report of the entire army. "The military medal is not enough for this man," continued Pétain. "Step forward," he said. The old sergeant trembled a little as he stood a tiny, solitary gray figure in front of the whole division. "Bring back the trumpets," Pétain commanded and for the lone poilu the fanfare was sounded again. "I make you a chevalier of the Legion of Honor," said the commander in chief of the French army to the old sergeant, and after he had pinned the red ribbon to his breast he added a hug to the conventional two kisses. The poilu moved back to the ranks steadily, but as soon as the general had turned his back the sergeant pulled out his handkerchief and wept. The soldiers greeted their comrade with cheers and laughter. "Now," said Pétain turning to Pershing, "let's take it easy for a little while. I've seen plenty of reviews." The French general walked across the space cleared for the review and began to talk with people in the fringe of spectators gathered around the edge of the meadow. He talked easily without any seeming condescension. "How are you, my little man?" he said, patting a boy on the head. "In what military class are you?" Encouraged by his father the boy said that he was in the class of 1928. "Oh," said the general, "that's a long time off. We shall have beaten the Boches before then." Next it was a peasant girl who attracted his attention. "Where have you come from?" he inquired with as much apparent interest as if he were talking with a soldier just back from Berlin. "That was a long walk just to see soldiers," he said when the girl told him that she lived in a little village about ten miles distant. "But we are glad to have you here," he added. And so he moved on down the line with handshakes for the grownups, pats on the head for little boys and kisses for little girls. He turned back to his reviewing station then and the French troops swept by with brave display: They were very smart and brisk, horse, foot and artillery, but Pétain found a few things to criticize although he mingled praise generously with censure. He told the officers to know their men and to get on such terms with them that the soldiers would not be afraid to speak freely. He told of reforms which he planned to introduce in the French army. He favored longer leaves from the front, he said, and better transportation for the poilus.