And though the crowds began to thin, he remained there another hour until, at last, a cab went by with a single old gentleman in a top hat, whoever he was, and then there were no more.

When he got home, Pierre gave him a message that Luc wanted to see him at his restaurant, so Thomas went round there.

Luc was sitting alone at a table, and he motioned his brother to sit down and poured him a glass of wine.

“I’ve been thinking, brother,” Luc said. “This big offensive out at the Marne. It’s quite a gamble, you know.”

“I suppose so.”

“If it fails, the Germans could be here in less than a week. What will you do then?”

“I don’t know. What will you do?”

“Serve them dinner.” He shrugged. “What else does a restaurant do?”

“I hadn’t thought about it like that.”

“But what if we hold them at the Marne, or somewhere out there in eastern France? Everyone thinks this war will be a short affair, one way or the other. If they’re right, there’s nothing to do but wait. But what if it isn’t so short? What’ll happen then?”

“Pierre might have to fight.”

“Not only boys like Pierre. There’ll be a general conscription. I’ve heard army officers talk about it in the past. You’re over fifty, a bit too old. But I’ll probably be called up.”

“You think so?”

“I do. So I’ve made a decision. I’ll wait a little while, but if we hold the Germans, I’m going to volunteer.”

“Why?”

“You probably get better treatment, have a better chance of finding yourself a good billet, if you’re a volunteer. People who wait to be conscripted, and forced into the army, don’t do so well. That’s usually how these things work.” He gave his brother a thoughtful look. “If that happens, Thomas, I want you and Édith to take over the bar and restaurant.”

“But that’s not what I do.”

“Thomas, if the war drags on, life might get very hard. I don’t think people will be building much. And anyway, you’re not getting any younger. There could be food shortages. Think of the siege of Paris back in 1870. People were starving. With the bar, you stand a better chance of getting by than most people. And then after the war, whoever wins, you’ll still have it.”

Thomas looked doubtful.

“I don’t know, Luc. It’s not my style. And Édith …”