AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



glide. The fall of a book or teaspoon, the sudden 

 closing of a door, are events to be remarked. Once 

 a day, however, a huge gong sounds, the glass doors 

 of the inner courtyard are thrown open with a 

 flourish, and enter the huge 'bus fairly among those 

 peacefully sitting at the tables, horses' hoofs striking 

 fire, long lash cracking volleys, wheels roaring amid 

 hollow reverberations. From the interior of this 

 'bus emerge people; and from the top, by means of a 

 strangely constructed hooked ladder, are descended 

 boxes and trunks and appurtenances of various 

 sorts. In these people and in these boxes, trunks, 

 and appurtenances are the real interest of the Grand 

 Hotel du Louvre et de la Paix of the marvellous 

 Rue Cannebiere of Marseilles. 



For at Marseilles land ships, many ships, from all 

 the scattered ends of the earth; and from Marseilles 

 depart trains for the North, where is home, or the 

 way home, for many peoples. And since the arrival 

 of ships is uncertain, and the departure of trains 

 fixed, it follows that everybody descends for a little 

 or greater period at the Grand Hotel du Louvre et 

 de la Paix. 



They come lean and quiet and a little yellow from 

 hard climates, with the names of strange places on 

 their lips, and they speak familiarly of far-off things. 

 Their clothes are generally of ancient cut, and the 



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