THE BATTLE  OF FRANCE
the driver whistles, slows down and calls amiably,
over the hedge:
'Any other little thing we can do for you,
captain?"
I Meet General Bramble
'Aurelle!'
'You, sir!'
I watched General Sir John Bramble as he came
into the drawing-room of the little French hotel.
His hair and moustache had whitened, but he was
still a superb soldier, and now and again a charming,
almost childlike smile lit up his face.
'And what brings you here, Sir John?*
'I am a King's Messenger/ said the General.
'Which means? . . /
It means that I bring from England to the
Commander-in-Chief papers that are too secret to
be trusted to the post/
'Do you come over often?'
'Two or three times a week, as is necessary/
'Six crossings a week? It must be terribly tiring,
Sir John/
'I am never tired/ he said proudly. . . . 'All the
same, the sea was shocking this morning. But it was
quite interesting because there were mines adrift
that had to be avoided. . , . You will dine with me?*
And while we were eating he told me of his
20