servant's day's rations--and
sandwiches, which I contributed. By way of pudding we had bread and
marmalade. The colonial commissioner produced the marmalade from his
haversack. I had some cheese, a Camembert, and the colonel's servant
brought us sardines on toast, and coffee. We all had flasks and the
colonel kept a supply of Perrier water. Men have fared worse on
supply trains.

After dinner I taught the colonel and the commissioner to play my
favourite kind of patience. I do not suppose the game was ever much
use to the commissioner. In his colony life is a strenuous business.
But I like to think that I did the colonel a good turn. His business
was to travel up to the rail head in supply trains full of men, and
then to travel down again in the same train empty. When I realised
that he had been at this work for months and expected to be at it for
years I understood why he looked depressed. Train commanding must be
a horrible business, only one degree better than draft conducting. To
a man engaged in it a really absorbing kind of patience must be a
boon.

The next morning the colonel woke me early and warned me to be ready
for my leap. In due time he set me on the step of the carriage. He
took all my coats, rugs, and sticks from me. The train slowed down. I
caught sight of the platform. The colonel said "Now." I jumped. My
coats and rugs fell round me in a shower. My servant timed the thing
well. My valise came to earth at one end of the platform. The man's
own kit fell close to me. He himself lit on his feet at the far end
of the platform. The train gathered speed again. I waved a farewell
to my benefactor and the colonial commissioner.

CHAPTER XII

MADAME

Madame was certainly an old woman, if age is counted by years. She
had celebrated her golden wedding before the war began. But in heart
she was young, a girl.

I cherish, among many, one special picture of Madame. It was a fine,
warm afternoon in early summer. The fountain at the lower end of the
garden spouted its little jet into the air. Madame loved the
fountain, and set it working on all festive occasions and whenever
she felt particularly cheerful. I think she liked to hear the water
splashing among the water-lily leaves in the stone basin where the
goldfish swam. Behind the fountain the flowers were gay and the fruit
trees pleasantly green round a marvellous terra-cotta figure,
life-size, of an ancient warrior. Below the fountain was a square