language.  Among them I met a Count belonging to one of the oldest families in France, an Oriental scholar of European reputation, and a Professor of English literature.  The younger ones studied our peculiarities with the most ingratiating zeal, and one of them, in particular, played and sang “Tipperary” with masterly technique at an uproarious tea-party in a patisserie at Bethune.  Also they smoothed over little misunderstandings about delits de chasse, gently forbore to smile at our French, and assisted in the issue of the laisser-passer.  Doubtless they performed many much more weighty and mysterious duties, but I only speak of what I know.  To me they were more than kind; they gave me introductions to their families when I went on official visits to Paris and to the French lines; zealously assisted me to hunt down evidence, and sometimes accompanied me on my tour of investigation.  Among the many agreeable memories I cherish of the camaraderie at G.H.Q. the recollection of their constant kindness and courtesy is not the least.

One word before I leave the subject of the Staff.  There has been of late a good deal of pestilential gossip by luxurious gentlemen at home about the Staff and its work.  It is, they say, very bad—­mostly beer and skittles.  I have already referred to these charges elsewhere; here I will only add one word.  A Staff is known by its chief.  He it is who sets the pace.  During the time I was attached to it, the G.H.Q.  Staff had two chiefs in succession.  The first was a brilliant soldier of high intellectual gifts, now chief of the Imperial Staff at home, who, although embarrassed by indifferent health, worked at great pressure night and day.  His successor at G.H.Q. is a man of stupendous energy, commanding ability, and great force of character, who has risen from the ranks to the great position he now holds.  By their chiefs ye shall know them.  Under such as these there was and is no room for the “slacker” at G.H.Q.  He got short shrift.  There were very few of that undesirable species at G.H.Q., and as soon as they were discovered they were sent home.  I sometimes wonder whether one could not trace, if it were worth while (which it isn’t), these ignoble slanders to their origin in the querulous lamentations of these deported gentlemen, whence they have percolated into Parliamentary channels.  But it really isn’t worth while.  The public has, I believe, taken the thing at its true valuation.  In plain speech it is “all rot.”

NOTE.—­The last paragraph was written before the recent changes at G.H.Q. and at the War Office, but the reader will not need any assistance in the identification of the two distinguished Chiefs of Staff here referred to.—­J.H.M.

FOOTNOTES: 

[28] The writer’s experience of the trenches is described in some detail in Chapter VIII.

[29] The Manual of Military Law.