a state of war, and life was in a sense normal again,
it was only at first they missed the men--quite aside from their
natural anxieties. But as time went on and there was no man always
coming in, husband or lover, no man to dress for, scheme for, exercise
their imaginations to please, weep for when he failed to come, or
lapsed from fever heat to that temperature which suggests exotic
fevers, they missed him less and less.

Unexpected resources were developed. Their work, their many works,
grew more and more absorbing. Gradually they realized that they were
looking at life from an entirely different point of view.

Voila!

Is the reign of the male in the old countries of Europe nearing its
end, even as Kings and Kaisers are reluctantly approaching the vaults
of history? An American woman married to a Frenchman said to me one
day:

"Intelligent Frenchwomen complain to me that they never win anything
on their merits. They must exert finesse, seduction, charm, magnetism.
For this reason they are always in a state of apprehension that some
other woman equally feminine, but more astute and captivating, will
win their man away. The result is the intense and unremitting
jealousies in French society. They see in this war their opportunity
to show men not only their powers of individual usefulness, often
equal if not superior to that of their husband or lover, but their
absolute indispensability. They are determined to win respect as
individuals, rise above the rank of mere females."

IX

Moreover, this war is bringing a liberty to the French girl which must
sometimes give her the impression that she is living in a fantastic
dream. Young people already had begun to rebel at the old order of
matrimonial disposition by parental authority, but it is doubtful if
they will ever condescend to argument again, or even to the old formal
restrictions during the period of the long engagement. Not only will
husbands be too scarce to dicker about, but these girls, too, are
living their own lives, going to and coming from hospital work daily
(unless at the Front), spending long hours by convalescent cots,
corresponding with filleuls, attending half a dozen clubs for work;
above all, entertaining their brothers' friend during those oases
known as _permission_, or six days' leave. And very often the friends
of their brothers are young men of a lower rank in life, whose valor
or talents in the field have given them a quick promotion.