Though the Germans were going, the siege by the cordon of French
guards around Paris had not been raised. To them every civilian was
a possible spy. So they let no civilians by. Must one remain for ever in
Paris, screened from any view of the great drama? Was there no way
of securing a blue card which would open the road to war for an atom
of humanity who wanted to see Frenchmen in action and not to pry
into generals' plans?

Happily, an army winning is more hospitable than an army losing; and
bonds of friendship which stretch around the world could be linked
with authority which has only to say the word, in order that one might
have a day's glimpse of the fields where von Kluck's Germans were
showing their heels to the French.

Ours, I think, was the pioneer of the sight-seeing parties which
afterwards became the accepted form of war correspondence with
the French. None could have been under more delightful auspices in
companionship or in the event. Victory was in the hearts of our hosts,
who included M. Paul Doumer, formerly President of the Chamber of
Deputies and Governor of French Indo-China and now a senator, and
General Febrier, of the French Medical Service, who was to have had
charge of the sanitation of Paris in case of a siege.

M. Doumer was acting as Chef de Cabinet to General Gallieni, the
commandant of Paris, and he and General Febrier and two other
officers of Gallieni's staff, who would have been up to their eyes in
work if there had been a siege, wanted to see something of that army