My visitor cited the fable in which two goats met on a narrow bridge; neither would give way to the other, and they fought until they both fell into the water and were drowned.

The victory of one group as in previous wars, he continued, where the conqueror gleaned a rich harvest of gains and the vanquished had to bear all the losses, was out of the question in this present war.

_Tout le monde perdra, et a la fin il n'y aura que des vaincus._ I often recalled that interview later.

Much that was false and yet, as it seemed to me, much that was true lay in my friend's words.

France and Italy did not break down; the end of the war came quicker than he thought; and the invincible Germany was defeated.