black to rose with the completeness and ease of
a pantomime transformation scene. The Verdun heights remained
impregnable. The whole line turned and fought where it stood. The
enemy, worn out by his exertions, stretched his line of communications
to breaking-point, and it was said that his supplies of food and
munitions had come temporarily very near to collapse. The Allies checked
him. He could not even hold his own. In two days he was moving back,
away from Paris.

The economic reasons were not the only factors in his downfall. He was
beaten by the Allied morale, and also by the Allied strategy. Von Kluck,
the Commander of the German right, hurrying on in an abortive pursuit of
the British Army, found that he was outflanked by the army of Gallieni,
which, stronger than his own, threatened his line of communications. To
press on towards Paris would have been suicidal. To linger in his
present position would have been to court capture. He, therefore, began
the famous march across the French front, by which he hoped to gain
touch with the army on his left, and as he turned, the British and
French fell upon him simultaneously, as in a vice. For a day the line
wavered irresolutely, then Von Kluck realised that the pendulum of
success was beginning to swing the other way. He had to retire or face
irretrievable disaster.

Thus Paris was saved. The tremendous blow aimed at it was parried, and
it seemed as if the striker tottered, as if he had overreached his
strength. The treachery with which the Germans had inaugurated the
movement, the brutality and cruelty with which they had carried it
through, were brought to nothing before the superior morale of the
Allied troops, and the matchless strategy of their Commander.

The enemy was checked along the whole line, but the Allies were not
satisfied with that. The French flung themselves upon the invader with a
ferocity and heroism that was positively reminiscent of the Napoleonic
legends. General Foch, in command of the General Reserve, achieved the
culminating success in this victory, known as the Battle of the Marne.
He broke the enemy's line: he thrust into the gap a wedge so powerful
that the enemy was forced to give way on either side of it, because his
centre was broken. The victory of the Marne was assured.

Slowly at first, latterly with increasing speed, the Allies were hurling
the enemy northwards. He was becoming more demoralised every day. A
victory even greater t