Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/100/1 - February 1918 - Part 3

101 31
must say this people
of Paris does not
stint itself in / matter
of dinners like London
has to. We had a dinner
at wh one wd almost
have shied even in time 
of peace - ending with
a huge square o / most
delicious pastry &
butter cream. Unquestionably
 - unquestionably it is
/ people of England wh
is bearing the biggest stress
in this war at / present
 

101 31a
moment. Their sacrifices
are very real of
late. Here in France
bread & most other foods
seem abundant.
I was ever so glad
to go to / Folies Bergeres
It was a light entertainment
- not different from that of
/ London music halls -
but the interest in it
ws / crowd in the 
cafe in / interval. I
suppose / world will
never see it again -

There ws every nation
 

101 32
under / sun & you
cd tell them each
(wh you cd never do
in peace) by their
uniform. There were
French civilians
& their wives & sweethearts
& cocottes. There were
Americans - scores &
Scores of Americans officers
in their khaki tunics
with stiff high collars;
there were spruce trimmed
polished British officers;
French officers & men
 

101 33
in their grey - blue, &
in their peace time blue
& red; there were
big Yankee soldiers in
their long ^over coats & rounded
hats, almost like
so many monks; &
there were Canadians
 - rather like British
soldiers except for the big
square patches ^of colour on their
back or arms; there
were a few British Tommies
(though, poor old fellows, they
 

101 34
have  not the money
for the Folies Bergeres
for the most part -
nor even for Paris; nor
the education to wish
to go there, I think - many
of them - or perhaps they
prefer always to go to their
homes; & -
There were our old
Australians; not so many
as / Americans, but still
a good sprinkling. There
they were in their dashing
up turned hats & loose
easy fitting uniform ; it
 

101 35
was not any fancy 
of mine tt they looked
so easy - they were
marked amongst all /
rest by their easy,
frank natural manners;
their confident walk;
their free unrestrained
enjoyment. They made
their way through these
Paris crowds - either
with a mate or with
a girl - a woman they
had picked up, no doubt,
but often very quite respectable
in appearance as these
 

107 36
Paris cocottes often
are - they made
their way through
Paris exactly as if it
were Sydney or Manly
or Warnambool -
It was an Australian,
up in front of the nigger
orchestra, who was 
waving his cane to the 
music - dancing a half
cake walk - laughing
chaffing with the French
men & the Canadians
around - he was not

drunk - & keeping a 
third the folk about
 

101 37
him merry - The
Americans were stiff
& colder & restrained
 - our men were there to 
enjoy themselves & were
living every minute.
If a we were nation
with so frank & fire
& soul does not add
something of great value
to / world I shall be
xx - it will belie all
its appearance & its
promise.
We went to ^the American
Mission to get our
passes. We found inside
/ door an xx orderly

in a niche, with his
 

101 38
feet ( true to type)
up on / mantlepiece
or / ledge tt took its
place. I am not sure
tt he ever took them
down. xxx They seemed
a big lot of fellows
& capable - curt but
keen enough to help.
Their const military
police are not camouflaged
in / least - they carry
great batons like a
baseball stick.
 

101 39
Feb. 17^th. Sunday.
We cannot get
away till tomorrow -
Cadge ws right.
So we went to Notre
Dame & Versailles & the Trianons.
I never saw the great
Western Arch & window
Of Notre Dame look so
wonderfully restful
& beautiful - the
Equisite simple line o
/ arch against / deep
soft shadows & / rich
colour & half guessed
tracery o / huge rose
window above. There