e is willing to renounce
honors, fame, and fortune, and will consent to live humbly and be
forgotten, like the poor for whom he founded the _Conferences de
Saint-Vincent de Paul_, and whom he so often visited in their wretched
lodgings; but let him at least dwell a little longer in his home, that
he may see his daughter grow up, and pass a few years more with the
companion of his choice. Finally, he is impassioned by his Faith, he no
longer reasons with Heaven, but says: "Take all according to Thy wish,
take all, take myself. Thy will be done...."

Rarely has the drama of acceptance of the Divine Will been more freely
developed. Now, in the drama which was to impassion Guynemer even to
complete sacrifice, it is not the vocation of aviator that we should
remark, but the absolute will to serve. Abbe Chesnais, who does not
attach primary importance to the vocation, has understood this well. At
the end of his notes he reminds us that Guynemer was a believer who
accomplished his religious exercises regularly, without ostentation and
without weakness. "How many times he has stopped me at night," he
writes, "as I passed near his bed! He wanted a quiet conscience, without
reproach. His usual frivolity left him at the door of the chapel. He
believed in the presence of God in this holy place and respected it....
His Christian sentiments were to be a sustaining power in his aerial
battles, and he would fight with the more ardor if his conscience were
at peace with his God...."

These words of Abbe Chesnais explain the true vocation of Guynemer: "The
chances of war brought out marvelously the qualities contained in such a
frail body. In the beginning did he think of becoming a pilot? Perhaps.
But what he wanted above everything was to fulfil his duty as a
Frenchman. He wanted to be a soldier; he was ashamed of himself, he
said, in the first days of September, 1914: 'If I have to sleep in the
bottom of an automobile truck, I want to go to the front. I will go.'"

He was to go; but neither love of aviation nor love of fame had anything
to do with his departure, as they were to have nothing to do with his
final fate.

III. THE DEPARTURE

In the month of July, 1914, Georges Guynemer was with his family at the
Villa Delphine, Biarritz, in the northern part of the Anglet beach. This
beach is blond with sunshine, but is refreshed by the ocean breezes. One
can be deliciously idle there. This beach is besides an excellent
landing-pl