d all
evidences of military operations disappeared. The country in that
region was rolling, well tilled and well wooded. Numerous quaint
little villages, each one different in character from the other,
nestled in the shelter of the valleys. At one place we stopped to pick
the mistletoe from a row of apple trees that were simply covered with
the green parasite; while we watched, away to the west, a gorgeous
sunset flame and die. It was the finishing touch to a day that had
been almost perfect, and we tumbled into bed at the Hotel de
l'Angleterre in the ancient city of Beuvais to sleep the sound sleep
induced by fresh air and sunshine in those who have not been
accustomed to it.

Next morning at ten o'clock we set out for Paris, and, crossing the
Oise at the point where the British had blown up the bridge during
their retreat from Mons, reached the gate of St. Denis in the walls of
Paris at noon. Although every pedestrian and wagon driver was being
stopped and made to show passes we were asked no questions.

Paris seemed cleaner than ever in the spring sunshine and I was more
than ever captivated by the beauty of her buildings. The street market
of St. Denis was thronged with women and had a fair sprinking of
bearded French soldiers. Even at that early date quite a number of
men were seen hobbling about in civilian clothes with service medals
on their coats. We saw many Belgian soldiers but British soldiers were
entirely absent, for Paris, too, was "out of bounds" to the British
army. The very few men of military age seen was remarkable compared
with London, and though the great battle of the war, Verdun, was then
at its very height not sixty miles away, Paris, as far as we could
judge, was not at all worried.

At night the city was brightly illuminated till nine o'clock; then the
lights were lowered. Even at midnight the streets were light enough to
see to get about. Paris had little fear of Zeppelins; they had made
several attempts to reach the city but had failed in all except one
raid. The establishment of listening posts and other devices near the
front for detecting the approach of the airships made it a simple
matter to prepare plans to intercept them and give them a warm
reception, for it takes a fairly long time for a Zeppelin to reach
Paris after it enters French territory. A few weeks before our arrival
French anti-air-craft guns and search-lights mounted on motor lorries
had pursued and brought down a Zepp