e has a
formidable-looking apparatus fastened on his head and under
his chin, to hold his jaw firm until the bones knit. He is
forbidden to talk, but breaks the rule whenever the nurse
leaves the ward. He speaks a little English and has told me
a delightful story about the origin of aerial combat. A
French pilot, a friend of his, he says, attached to a
certain army group during August and September, 1914, often
met a German aviator during his reconnaissance patrols. In
those Arcadian days, fighting in the air was a development
for the future, and these two pilots exchanged greetings,
not cordially, perhaps, but courteously: a wave of the hand,
as much as to say, "We are enemies, but we need not forget
the civilities." Then they both went about their work of
spotting batteries, watching for movements of troops, etc.
One morning the German failed to return the salute. The
Frenchman thought little of this, and greeted him in the
customary manner at their next meeting. To his surprise, the
Boche shook his fist at him in the most blustering and
caddish way. There was no mistaking the insult. They had
passed not fifty metres from each other, and the Frenchman
distinctly saw the closed fist. He was saddened by the
incident, for he had hoped that some of the ancient
courtesies of war would survive in the aerial branch of the
service, at least. It angered him too; therefore, on his
next reconnaissance, he ignored the German. Evidently the
Boche air-squadrons were being Prussianized. The enemy pilot
approached very closely and threw a missile at him. He could
not be sure what it was, as the object went wide of the
mark; but he was so incensed that he made a _virage_, and
drawing a small flask from his pocket, hurled it at his
boorish antagonist. The flask contained some excellent port,
he said, but he was repaid for the loss in seeing it crash
on the exhaust-pipe of the enemy machine.

This marked the end of courtesy and the beginning of active
hostilities in the air. They were soon shooting at each
other with rifles, automatic pistols, and at last with
machine guns. Later developments we know about. The night
bombarder has been telling me this yarn in serial form. When
the nurse is present, he illustrates the last chapter by
mea