ll were not in
evidence. Most of the roofs were blue, a weathered and mottled blue,
very lovely, but, like everything else about the town, exceedingly
cold to look at.

Shortly after I had unpacked my few belongings I was presented to
General Foch, not at headquarters, but at the house in which he was
living. He came out himself to meet me, attended by several of his
officers, and asked at once if I had had _dejeuner_. I had not, so he
invited me to lunch with him and with his staff.

_Dejeuner_ was ready and we went in immediately. A long table had been
laid for fourteen. General Foch took his place at the centre of one of
the long sides, and I was placed in the seat of honour directly
across. As his staff is very large, only a dozen officers dine with
him. The others, juniors in the service, are billeted through the town
and have a separate mess.

Sitting where I did I had a very good opportunity to see the hero of
Ypres, philosopher, strategist and theorist, whose theories were then
bearing the supreme test of war.

Erect, and of distinguished appearance, General Foch is a man rather
past middle life, with heavy iron-grey hair, rather bushy grey
eyebrows and a moustache. His eyes are grey and extremely direct. His
speech incisive and rather rapid.

Although some of the staff had donned the new French uniform of
grey-blue, the general wore the old uniform, navy-blue, the only thing
denoting his rank being the three dull steel stars on the embroidered
sleeve of his tunic.

There was little ceremony at the meal. The staff remained standing
until General Foch and I were seated. Then they all sat down and
_dejeuner_ was immediately served.

One of the staff told me later that the general is extremely
punctilious about certain things. The staff is expected to be in the
dining room five minutes before meals are served. A punctual man
himself, he expects others to be punctual. The table must always be
the epitome of neatness, the food well cooked and quietly served.

Punctuality and neatness no doubt are due to his long military
training, for General Foch has always been a soldier. Many of the
officers of France owe their knowledge of strategy and tactics to his
teaching at the _Ecole de Guerre_.

General Foch led the conversation. Owing to the rapidity of his
speech, it was necessary to translate much of it for me. We spoke, one
may say, through a clearing house. But although he knew it was to be
translated to