United States or Brazil ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But down deep I know you were right when you said, "Our characters carve our fate." It was a long journey from the south to the north, where Brian was, for in war-days trains do what they like and what nobody else likes.
In those war-days Capoul sang the "Marseillaise" either at the Opera Comique or the Theatre Lyrique; but at the Opera it was sung by Marie Sass, then at the height of her reputation.
Stirred by the sound, here and there the wilder blades among the crews remembered old war-days, and struck up the Northmen's warsong, the laughing, murder-singing "Yuch-hey-saa-saa- saa," that had carried terror with it to the lands beyond the water; and the trading vessels within hearing swung hastily southward and rowed away for dear life, fully believing that war had come again.
A woman would have worked off in tears or hysteric cries what pain came then; but the man only swallowed once or twice, lighted his cigar, and with a grim smile went down the road. My story is nearly ended. I have no time nor wish, these war-days, to study dramatic effects, or to shift large and cautiously painted scenes or the actors, for the mere tickling of your eyes and ears.
Sometimes it would turn up about lunch-time and stand impatiently chugging while she changed into sport's clothes, after which it would dash away with her, humming contentedly, into the depths of the country. It was the magic-carpet which obeyed all her desires. After war-days, with their petrol shortages and restricted travel, it seemed more than ordinarily magic.
Though France is drained of men and treasure for a foolish war in Mexico, glittering streets, rich salons, mad merry-makings and imperial splendor do not warn gay Lutetia she is tottering toward the dawning war-days of gloom. The French are drunk with pleasure. Marie Berard has now a nice little fund of ringing napoleons securely invested, and that hoard is growing monthly.
The owner of the boat put a mattress in it where I could lie at length, and so, sleeping, or listening to the songs of the rowers, or watching the stars overhead, I found myself in the course of the night at Dulcigno, where I was warmly received and hospitably entertained by the governor, a comrade of the war-days.
In this brief article we shall frequently avail ourselves of the information he imparts, confident that in these war-days his wise directions are better than fine gold to a man who is obliged to rough it over the world, no matter where his feet may wander, his horse may travel, or his boat may sail. Wherewithal shall a man be clothed? We begin at the beginning with flannel always.
He doubled and redoubled on his tracks, moving among crowds, feeling that he must hear the noise of crowds, yet seeing little of the sights on which his eyes rested. It had been like this with him before, after being in too close contact with calamity. It had been like this in war-days, when he had returned on brief leaves out of monstrous offensives to the appalling quiet of a normal world.
Reading the quaint history, just now, I have a mind to tell you a modern story. I can tell you that; but you do not know do you? what kind of sword old Christian used, or where it is, or whether its edge is rusted. I must not stop to ask more, for these war-days are short, and the story might be cold before you heard it.
Word Of The Day