car with his parting words, "You are about to do the most dangerous
thing you have ever done or will ever do in your life. As for Verdun,
tell them in England that I am smiling, and I am sure that when you see
General Nivelle you will find him smiling too. That is the best answer I
can give you as to how things are going with us at Verdun." Then with a
friendly wave of his hand we passed on our way.

After leaving the headquarters of General Pétain we were held up for
some time at a level crossing and watched the busy little train puffing
along, carrying towards Verdun stores, munitions, and men. This level
crossing had been the scene of active fighting; on each side were
numerous graves, and the sentinels off duty were passing from one to the
other picking a dead leaf or drawing a branch of trailing vine over the
resting-places of their comrades.

Above our heads circle _les guêpes_, the wasps of the French Army. They
had been aroused by the appearance of a Taube and were preparing to
sting, had the Taube waited or made any further attempt to proceed over
the French lines. However, deciding that discretion was the better part
of valour, it turned and fled. It is unwise, however, to stir up the
"wasps of France"; they followed it, and later in the day we heard that
it had been brought down near Verdun.

We were now in the centre of activity of the army defending Verdun. On
every hand we saw artillery-parks, ammunition-parks, and regiments
resting, whilst along the road a long line of _camions_ passed
unceasingly. During the whole length of my stay on the French front I
only saw one regiment marching. Everywhere the men are conveyed in the
_camions_, and are thus spared the fatigue which would otherwise be
caused by the intense heat and the white dust. There are perhaps only