ets. I began with 5 francs, but by the
time I'd reached Paris I was giving ha' pennies.

At Amiens a dainty Parisienne stepped into the compartment. She was clad
in a navy blue _tailleur_ with a very smart pair of high navy blue kid
boots and small navy blue silk hat. The other occupants of the carriage
consisted of a well-to-do old gentleman in mufti, who, I decided, was a
_commercant de vin_, and two French officers, very spick and span,
obviously going on leave. _La petite dame bien mise_, as I christened
her, sat in the opposite corner to me, and the following conversation
took place. I give it in English to save translation:

After a little general conversation between the officers and the old
_commercant_ the latter suddenly burst out with:--"Ha, what I would like
well to know is, do the Scotch soldiers wear the _pantalons_ or do they
not?" Everyone became instantly alert. I could see _la petite dame bien
mise_ was dying to say something. The two French officers addressed
shrugged their shoulders expressive of ignorance in the matter. After
further discussion, unable to contain herself any longer, _la petite
dame_ leant forward and addressing herself to the _commercant_, said,
"Monsieur, I assure you that they do _not_!"

The whole carriage "sat up and took notice," and the old _commercant_,
shaking his finger at her said:

"Madame, if you will permit me to ask, that is, if it is not indiscreet,
how is it that you are in a position to know?"

The officers were enjoying themselves immensely. _La petite dame_
hastened to explain. "Monsieur, it is that my window at Amiens she
overlooks the ground where these Scotch ones play the football, and then
a good little puff of wind and one sees, but of course," she concluded
virtuously, "I have not regarded, Monsieur."

They all roared delightedly, and the old _commercant_ said something to
the effect of not believing a word. "Be quiet, Monsieur, I pray of you,"
she entreated, "there is an English young girl in the corner and she
will of a certainty be shocked." "_Bah, non_," replied the old
_commercant_, "the English never understand much of any language but
their own" (I hid discreetly behind my paper).

As we neared Paris there was another stop before the train went over the
temporary bridge that had been erected over the Oise. We could still see
the other that had been blown up by the French in order to stem the
German advance on Paris in August 1914. This shatter