[Magdalen] Always a Marine.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

The French news media employed a word they gave to English intact
more than 250 years ago in describing the quick, life-saving action  of
two US Marine tourists on le chemin de fer yesterday:   "sangfroid".
 
Though literally, "cold blood," it means with "calm courage under  stress"
in both languages.
 
It's been awhile since I've encountered the word, and it's  interesting
that it took the French themselves to utilize it appropriately in  this
heroic deed.
 
The location city  of this terror episode, Arras, France, had a  very
impressive medieval gothic cathedral until the French Revolution when
it was completely destroyed.  There remain only a few drawings  to
show for the building.  The replacement cathedral, in  Renaissance
style, was ruined in WW-1 and had to be rebuilt.  
 
 
 
David Strang.