by
ANDRÉ MAUROIS
translated by
JULES CASTIER and RONALD BOSWELL
JOHN LANE
THE BODLEY HEAD LTD
First Published 1921
First Published in The Week-End Library 1931
MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY
MORRISON AND GIBB LTD, LONDON AND EDINBURGH
| I. | Portraits |
| II. | Diplomacy |
| III. | The Tower of Babel |
| IV. | A Business Man in the Army |
| V. | The Story of Private Biggs |
| VI. | An Air Raid |
| VII. | Love and the Infant Dundas |
| VIII. | A Great Chef |
| IX. | Prélude à la Soirée d'un Général |
| X. | Private Brommit's Conversion |
| XI. | Justice |
| XII. | Variations |
| XIII. | The Cure |
| XIV. | The Beginning of the End |
| XV. | Danse Macabre |
| XVI. | The Glory of the Garden |
| XVII. | Letter from Colonel Parker to Aurelle |
| XVIII. | General Bramble's Return |
GENERAL BRAMBLE
"As to what the picture represents, that depends upon who looks atit."—Whistler.
The French Mission in its profound wisdom had sent as liaison officerto the Scottish Division a captain of Dragoons whose name wasBeltara.
"Are you any relation to the painter, sir?" Aurelle, the interpreter,asked him.
"What did you say?" said the dragoon. "Say that again, will you? Youare in the army, aren't you? You are a soldier, for a little timeat any rate? and you claim to know that such people as paintersexist? You actually admit the existence of that God-forsaken species?"
And he related how he had visited the French War Office after he hadbeen wounded, and how an old colonel had made friends with him andhad tried to find him a congenial job.
"What's your profession in civilian life, capitaine?" the old manhad asked as he filled in a form.
"I