222 GOLDEN DAYS 



world, but not a soldier." Old Morvan 

 answered : " You will fight for France." 



The fire glowed ; a log sagged white in 

 ashes. Then in the silence Ian spoke. ** I 

 see," he said, " a whole world at war, all 

 nations armed. I suffer the weariness of 

 their marching. I hear the tramp of 

 countless feet ; massed ranks advancing 

 to pain, and fear, and strife. From all 

 sides war rolls in. Now it surrounds me, 

 wave upon wave. It laps my feet, my 

 side, my hands. ^Mother of God, hold 

 back this baneful flood I" Shivering he 

 paused, then with strained voice, his 

 palsied arms outstretched: "What shall 

 it profit them ? For those who gain shall 

 lose, the vanquished shall be conquerors, 

 and ..." The twitching hands sank 

 aimlessly, the quavering voice trailed off 

 in whispered gibberings. 



Embarrassed silence held us all. 

 Anastasie hastily refilled the cider mugs 

 and heaped furze faggots on the hearth ; 

 the fire crackled, then burst ablaze, waking 

 our talk once more, while sparks flew up 

 the open chimney. The mayor bent 

 down apologetically. '* Le pauv?'e mal- 



