Upon being convinced that war really was inevitable, the elder Desnoyers was filled with amazement.  Humanity had gone crazy.  Was it possible that war could happen in these days of so many railroads, so many merchant marines, so many inventions, so much activity developed above and below the earth? . . .  The nations would ruin themselves forever.  They were now accustomed to luxuries and necessities unknown a century ago.  Capital was master of the world, and war was going to wipe it out.  In its turn, war would be wiped out in a few months’ time through lack of funds to sustain it.  His soul of a business man revolted before the hundreds of thousands of millions that this foolhardy event was going to convert into smoke and slaughter.

As his indignation had to fix upon something close at hand, he made his own countrymen responsible for this insanity.  Too much talk about la revanche!  The very idea of worrying for forty-four years over the two lost provinces when the nation was mistress of enormous and undeveloped lands in other countries! . . .  Now they were going to pay the penalty for such exasperating and clamorous foolishness.

For him war meant disaster writ large.  He had no faith in his country.  France’s day had passed.  Now the victors were of the Northern peoples, and especially that Germany which he had seen so close, admiring with a certain terror its discipline and its rigorous organization.  The former working-man felt the conservative and selfish instinct of all those who have amassed millions.  He scorned political ideals, but through class interest he had of late years accepted the declarations against the scandals of the government.  What could a corrupt and disorganized Republic do against the solidest and strongest empire in the world? . . .

“We are going to our deaths,” he said to himself.  “Worse than ’70! . . .  We are going to see horrible things!”

The good order and enthusiasm with which the French responded to their country’s call and transformed themselves into soldiers were most astonishing to him.  This moral shock made his national faith begin to revive.  The great majority of Frenchmen were good after all; the nation was as valiant as in former times.  Forty-four years of suffering and alarm had developed their old bravery.  But the leaders?  Where were they going to get leaders to march to victory? . . .

Many others were asking themselves the same question.  The silence of the democratic government was keeping the country in complete ignorance of their future commanders.  Everybody saw the army increasing from hour to hour:  very few knew the generals.  One name was beginning to be repeated from mouth to mouth, “Joffre . . .  Joffre.”  His first pictures made the curious crowds struggle to get a glimpse of them.  Desnoyers studied them very carefully.  “He looks like a very capable person.”  His methodical instincts were gratified by the grave and confident look of the general of the Republic.  Suddenly he felt the great confidence that efficient-looking bank directors always inspired in him.  He could entrust his interests to this gentleman, sure that he would not act impulsively.