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304 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
could but shrug his shoulders and raise his eyebrows and
reply :
" But please always think and speak well of France !
"
We had many a discussion on this topic as I went in or out
through his hall. And when I had time to spare before joining
the German officers at dinner, I would knock at the door of
the French drawing-room—for was I not a neutral ? —and
was always met with a cheery " entrez." There sat M. Cossart
in his rocking-chair, and his three amiable nieces were busy
with their needlework round the table beneath the lamp, and
then we could argue on politics to and fro without either party
yielding one jot. Not because he was of the Latin and I of
the Germanic race, but because our political views were as
irreconcilable as fire and water. If Germany was crushed, I
maintained, Russia would push forward to the Atlantic, and
this could only be done over Swedish soil—across the Scan-
dinavian peninsula, up there in the north. Therefore, for the
sake of my country, I could not but wish for Germany’s victory
—a complete victory. But to M. Cossart Germany’s victory
meant fearful calamities for his own native land. Hence it
was, and could not but be impossible for us to agree.
Yet we always spoke with dignity and calm. The old
lawyer never forgot himself, and I entertained the warmest
and sincerest regard for him. I was always glad to have a
chat with him, and regretted that, as a rule, time was so short.
How different he was from those hot-heads I met elsewhere,
who when confronted with an opinion at variance with their
own, are so far from being able to master an opponent that
they cannot even master themselves ! Or how unlike a news-
paper press which—Heaven knows by what means—^may be
induced to be silent on questions which concern the very life
and existence of a nation, but loses all restraint and dignity
in the face of a frankly and openly expressed opinion.
M. Cossart was a man of quite another kind. There was no
room in his soul for malice or cowardice. He was a gentleman
to his finger-tips. His name, his avocation, his address are
all stated above, and he is easily found. I have no fear lest
my openness of speech might cause him any harm. He runs
no risk as far as the Germans are concerned. I would, more-
over, entreat my German friends in Bapaume—if this book
should ever meet their eyes—to show him if but a fraction of
the kindness they have shown to me. And as regards the
French, they may—when peace once more reigns on earth
—
I
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