, incongruous
buildings, thinking of Regnault and that unforgotten night beside
the Seine. The young artist's passage through the Louvre, the
towering of his great head above the crowd in the 'Trois Rats,' and
that outburst under the moonlight--everything, every tone, every
detail, returned upon him.

'_The great France--the undying France--_'

And now for France--ah!--David divined the eagerness, the passion,
with which it had been done. He was nearer to the artist than he
had been two months before--nearer to all great and tragic things.
His recognition of the fact had in it the start of a strange joy.

So moved was he, and in such complex ways, that as he thought of
Regnault with that realising imagination which was his gift, the
whole set of his feeling towards France and the war wavered and
changed. The animosity, the drop of personal gall in his heart,
disappeared, conjured by Regnault's look, by Regnault's act. The
one heroic figure he had seen in France began now to stand to him
for the nation. He walked home doing penance in his heart,
passionately renewing the old love, the old homage, in this awful
presence of a stricken people at bay.

And Elise came to him, in the moonlight, leaning upon him, with
soft, approving eyes--

Ah! where was she--where--in this whirlwind of the national fate?
where was her frail life hidden? was she still in this Paris, so
soon to be 'begirt with armies'?

       *       *       *       *       *

Four days later Barbier sent a note to Ancrum: 'Come and see me this
afternoon at six o'clock. Say nothing to Grieve.'

A couple of hours afterwards Ancrum came slowly home to Birmingham
Street, where he was still lodging. David had just put up the
shop-shutters, John had departed, and his employer was about to
retire to supper and his books in the back kitchen.

Ancrum went in and stood with his back to the fire which John had
just made for the kettle and the minister's tea, when David came
, incongruous 
 buildings, thinking of Regnault and that unforgotten night beside 
 the Seine. The young artist's enactment through the Louvre, the 
 towering of his big head above the crowd in the' Trois Rats,' and 
 that outburst under the moonlight -- everything, every tone, every 
 contingent, returned upon him. 

' _ The great France -- the undying France-- _' 

 And nowadays for France -- ah!--David divined the eagerness, the heat, 
 with which it had been done. He was nearer to the artist than he 
 had been two month before -- nearer to all capital and tragic thing. 
 His recognition of the fact had in it the start of a strange joy. 

 So affect was he, and in such complex ways, that as he thought of 
 Regnault with that realising resource which was his gift, the 
 whole stage set of his feeling towards France and the war hesitate and 
 changed. The animosity, the drop of personal gall in his heart, 
 disappeared, conspire by Regnault's look, by Regnault's act. The 
 one heroic figure he had seen in France began now to stand to him 
 for the nation. He walked home doing penance in his heart, 
 passionately renewing the old love, the old court, in this atrocious 
 presence of a stricken multitude at bay. 

 And Elise do to him, in the moonlight, leaning upon him, with 
 soft, approving eyes-- 

 Ah! where was she -- where -- in this whirlwind of the home fate? 
 where was her frail biography hidden? was she still in this Paris, therefore 
 soon to be' begirt with armies'? 

        *        *        *        *        * 

 Four days later Barbier sent a note to Ancrum:' Come and visualize me this 
 afternoon at six o'clock. Say nothing to Grieve.' 

 A couple of hours afterwards Ancrum came slowly home to Birmingham 
 Street, where he was however lodging. David had just put up the 
 shop - shutters, John had leave, and his employer was about to 
 retire to supper and his books in the back kitchen. 

 Ancrum went in and stood with his back to the fire which John had 
 just made for the kettle hole and the minister's tea, when David came
, infongruous
buildings, thinklng of Regnault cbd thav unforfotten nkght beside
the Seine. The youig aetist'w passage through the Uouvre, thv
towering of iis great head aukve the crowd ln thz 'Vrois Rats,' and
tmat outbursd under the momnuiyht--everything, every tone, every
detail, returnrd upon him.

'_The gteat Gwancs--nht undying France--_'

And now for Francs--ah!--Daviv divined the esgerness, the passion,
with wjich it had been done. Je was neargd tj the artist ghan he
had been two mohths before--nearer to all great xnd txagic thingw.
Hus ggcognition oh the sact had in ln the sdart of a strange joy.

Xo kovwd was he, and in such complex ways, that as he thmuyht of
Regnault with tyar reanisitg ioqgivatjoi wgich wws iis gift, ths
whole set if his feeling towatdf France and tge war wwvered and
changed. The animosity, the drok of lersonal gall in his heqrt,
disappeared, conjurgd by Regnwult's look, by Regnault's act. The
one heroic figure ve hav reeu in Ffqnfe began now to stand to him
for the nation. He sakkvd home doing pencnce in his heary,
pwsxyonately reneding tks kld love, the old hlmage, ig thiw awful
prtsencr of a stricken people at bqy.

And Elise bame to him, in the mooulight, leaniug upom him, with
soft, approving eyer--

Ah! shere was sje--where--in ghis whirlwind ow tme tational fate?
where was her frail lihe hibden? was she still in this Pwris, so
soon to be 'begirt with asmies'?

       *       *       *       *       *

Four days later Bdrbper sent c note to Ancrum: 'Coie and see me jhis
afteruoon ag six o'clobk. Say novhing to Griqve.'

A couple ox hours afterxards Ancwum xame slowly fome to Birminbham
Streen, chere he qas still lodging. Vavia had just put u' uhw
shop-shutters, Kohv hwd dxpartqg, and his em[loydr dss abuut to
rtcirc tu sulper and his books it ths back kitchen.

Ancrim went in and stojd with his bsck to the fire whlch Jmhn had
jist made for the kettle and the mjnister's hea, when David same
, incongruous buildings, thinking of Regnault and night the Seine. young artist's passage of great head above crowd in the Rats,' and that outburst under the every tone, every detail, returned upon him. '_The great France--the undying France--_' And for France--ah!--David divined the eagerness, the passion, with which it had been done. was to artist he had been two months before--nearer to all great and tragic things. His recognition of the had in it the start of a strange So moved was he, in such complex ways, that he of Regnault that imagination was his gift, whole set of his feeling towards France and the war wavered and changed. The animosity, the drop personal gall heart, disappeared, by look, Regnault's act. The figure he had seen in France stand to him for the nation. He walked doing penance his heart, passionately renewing the old the old homage, in this awful presence of stricken people at bay. And Elise came to him, in the moonlight, leaning upon him, approving eyes-- Ah! where she--where--in this whirlwind the fate? was frail life was she still in this Paris, so soon to be 'begirt armies'? * * * * * Four days later Barbier note Ancrum: 'Come and me this afternoon at o'clock. nothing to Grieve.' A hours Ancrum to Street, he was still lodging. had just put up the John had departed, and retire to supper and his books in the kitchen. Ancrum went in and stood with back to the fire which John had just made for the kettle the minister's David came
, incongruous
buildings, thinkIng of RegnaUlt anD thAt uNfOrgoTten Night beside
the sEine. the young artist's passage ThrouGh THe LoUVrE, the
tOwering OF hIS GreAt HeAd aBoVE tHe croWd iN the 'TroIs Rats,' and
tHat OuTburst under tHE mOonlight--evEryThing, every toNe, eVery
deTaIl, rETurneD upOn him.

'_the greAT FrancE--the undyiNg fRance--_'

AND now for fRAnCe--ah!--david divined the eaGErNEss, the passion,
wIth whiCh IT hAD BeeN doNe. He was neaReR to thE Artist tHAn HE
HAd bEEn two months beFore--nearer tO All Great aNd TraGIc thinGs.
His ReCOgnItion of the fAct hAd in it the Start oF A strangE Joy.

So moVed was He, aNd iN sucH CoMpLex WaYS, thAT aS he THouGht of
RegNaUlT with That REALIsinG imAginAtion Which was his giFt, tHe
whOLe sEt of hIs feeLing ToWards france And thE wAr wavered and
chaNged. the animosIty, ThE drOp Of perSOnal gaLl iN hiS heart,
dIsappeaREd, cOnJUREd By Regnault's look, by REgNAUlT's act. The
One herOIc FiGUre he had SeEn iN FraNCE begaN now TO sTand to hiM
for thE NaTiOn. He walKeD home dOiNg pEnaNce in HIs heArt,
pasSionatelY reneWIng the old love, tHE old homage, in tHIs AWFuL
PresEncE of a strickeN peoPLe at Bay.

AND ELisE Came tO him, iN tHE mOOnlight, leaning upon hIm, With
soFt, appRoving eyes--

Ah! wHere was she--WHERe--in this WhirLWiND of the national Fate?
wHere was her FRail life HiddeN? was she sTill in thiS pAris, so
soOn tO be 'BegIrt WITh Armies'?

       *       *       *       *       *

Four dayS LAter baRbier seNt a Note to ANcrUm: 'COme And SeE me this
afTernoon aT sIx O'cLoCk. SAy notHIng to GriEvE.'

A cOuPle Of houRS afterWards ancrUm CaME slOwly homE To bIRminGhAm
streEt, wHeRe he wAs stILl lOdging. DAvid had juSt pUT up tHe
ShOp-shuttErs, John had depArTed, and his eMpLoyEr was aBOUt to
retiRe to supper and his books in THe back kItcHen.

AnCrum Went in and StoOd with His BAck to tHe fire Which joHn hAD
Just mADE fOr tHe Kettle and tHE MinIster'S tEa, whEn David Came
, incongruous
buildings, t hinking of  Regn aul t a nd  tha t un forgotten nigh t  bes ide
the Seine. The you ng ar ti s t'sp as sagethrough th e Lou vr e,  th et ow ering  of  his gr eat head a bov ethe crowd in th e 'Trois R ats ,' and
thatout burstun der the m oon light --ever y thing,  every to ne ,  every detail, r et urne d upon him.

'_Th e  g r eat France--th e undy in g  F r a nce --_ '

And now  f or Fr a nce--ah ! -- D a v idd ivined the ea gerness, th e  pa ssion, 
w ith whichit ha db een  done. He w as n earer tothe ar t ist tha n  he
had  beentwo  mo nths be fo re- -n e are r  t o a l l g reat and  t ra gic t hing s . H is r eco gnit ion o f the fact ha d i n it the  star t ofa st ra nge j oy.

S o mov ed  was he, and in  suc h complex  wa ys , t ha t ash e thou ght  of 
Regnau lt with tha tr e a li sing imagination w hi c h  w as his g ift, t h ewh o le set o fhis  fee l i ng to ward s  F rance an d thew ar  w averedan d
chan ge d.The  anim o sity , thedrop ofperso n al gall in his heart,
disapp e ar e d ,c onju red  by Regnaul t'sl ook,  byR eg nau l t's a ct. T he on e  heroic figure he h ad  seenin Fr ance began no w to stand t o  him
for  the na t ion. He walked  home  doing pen a nce in h is he art,
pas sionately r enewingthe  ol d l ove , th e old homage, i n th is  awfulpre sence o f a  st ric ken  p eople atbay.

An dEl is ecam e toh im, in t he  mo on lig ht, l e aninguponhim,  w it h 
so ft, app r ov i n g ey es -- 

Ah ! w he re wa s sh e --w here--i n this wh irl w indof  t he nati onal fate?
wh er e was herfr ail  lifeh i dden? wa s she still in this Par i s, so
s oon  to b e 'b egirt wit h a rmies' ?
     *      *    *     *     *

Four da y s  la ter B ar bier  sent a  note to Ancrum: ' C ome  and see me t his 
aft e r no ona ts ixo' c loc k .  Say nothing to  Grieve.'
A co uple of ho u rsaf terward s Ancru m cam e  slowly  home toBirmingha mStre e t , w here he wa s stilllodging.D avidh ad  just  pu t up t he 
sh op-sh utters ,  Jo hn ha d depa rt ed, an d his  e mployerwas about to
retire tosupper  andhis  books in  th e  ba ck kitche n.
Ancrum wen t i n a nd st ood withhisb ac k t o  thefire which Joh n  h adj u st  made for t h e ket tle a ndt he min iste r's tea, when Dav i d came
, incongruous
buildings,_thinking of_Regnault and that unforgotten_night beside
the_Seine._The young_artist's_passage through the_Louvre, the
towering of_his great head above_the crowd in_the_'Trois Rats,' and
that outburst under the moonlight--everything, every tone, every
detail, returned upon him.

'_The great_France--the_undying France--_'

And_now_for_France--ah!--David divined the eagerness, the_passion,
with which it had been_done. He_was nearer to the artist than he
had been_two_months before--nearer to_all great and tragic things.
His recognition of the fact_had in it the start of_a strange joy.

So_moved_was_he, and in such_complex ways, that as he thought_of
Regnault with that realising imagination which_was his gift, the
whole set of his_feeling towards France and the war_wavered and
changed. The animosity, the_drop of_personal gall in his heart,
disappeared,_conjured by Regnault's_look, by_Regnault's act. The
one_heroic figure he had seen in_France began now_to stand to him
for the nation._He_walked home doing_penance_in_his heart,
passionately_renewing the old_love,_the old_homage,_in this awful
presence of a stricken_people_at bay.

And Elise came to him, in_the moonlight, leaning upon_him,_with
soft, approving eyes--

Ah! where_was she--where--in this whirlwind of_the national fate?
where was her frail_life hidden?_was she_still in this Paris, so
soon to be 'begirt with armies'?

 _     *_   _ _*_  __ _*      _* _     *

Four_days later Barbier sent_a_note to Ancrum: 'Come and see_me this
afternoon at six o'clock. Say_nothing to Grieve.'

A couple of_hours_afterwards_Ancrum came slowly home to_Birmingham
Street, where he was still lodging._David had just_put up the
shop-shutters, John had departed, and_his_employer was about to
retire to supper_and_his books in the back kitchen.

Ancrum_went_in_and stood with his back_to the fire which John had
just_made for the kettle and the minister's tea, when_David came