_"
"Oh! These Americans!" said X with a gesture.
And as I returned to Paris from the French front, our train stopped at
some intermediate station alongside of another train of wounded
men. Exactly opposite our compartment was a car. It arrested our
conversation. It was, as it were, an ambulance _de grand luxe_; it was a
thing of very light, bright wood and very golden decorations; at one end
of it was painted very large and fair the Stars and Stripes, and at the
other fair-sized letters of gold proclaimed--I am sure the lady will
not resent this added gleam of publicity--"Presented by Mrs. William
Vanderbilt."
My companions were French writers and French military men, and they were
discussing with very keen interest that persistent question, "the ideal
battery." But that ambulance sent a shaft of light into our carriage,
and we stared together.
Then Colonel Z pointed with two fingers and remarked to us, without any
excess of admiration:
"_America!_"
Then he shrugged his shoulders and pulled down the corners of his mouth.
We felt there was nothing more to add to that, and after a little pause
the previous question was resumed.
I state these things in order to make it clear that America will start
at a disadvantage when she starts upon the mission of salvage and
reconciliation which is, I believe, her proper role in this world
conflict.
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