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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Liége on the Line of March, by Glenna
+Lindsley Bigelow
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Liége on the Line of March
+       An American Girl's Experiences When the Germans Came Through Belgium
+
+
+Author: Glenna Lindsley Bigelow
+
+
+
+Release Date: October 15, 2009  [eBook #30264]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIéGE ON THE LINE OF MARCH***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Barbara Kosker and the Project Gutenberg Online
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+
+
+LIEGE
+ON THE LINE OF MARCH
+
+
+[Illustration: GLENNA L. BIGELOW]
+
+
+LIEGE
+ON THE LINE OF MARCH
+
+An American Girl's Experiences When the Germans Came Through Belgium
+
+by
+
+GLENNA LINDSLEY BIGELOW
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+New York: John Lane Company
+London: John Lane, The Bodley Head
+MCMXVIII
+
+Copyright, 1918, by
+John Lane Company
+
+
+
+
+_TO THE KING OF THE BELGIANS_
+
+
+    _Multitudes upon multitudes they throng
+    And thicken: who shall number their array?
+    They bid the peoples tremble and obey:
+    Their faces are set forward, all for wrong.
+    They trample on the covenant and are strong
+    And terrible. Who shall dare to say them nay?
+    How shall a little nation bar the way
+    Where that resistless host is borne along?_
+
+    _You never thought, O! gallant King, to bow
+    To overmastering force and stand aside.
+    Safe and secure you might have reigned. But now
+    Your Belgium is transfigured, glorified,
+    The friend of France and England, who avow
+    An Equal here, and thank the men who died._
+
+  _H. M._
+  _London Times, August 14, 1914._
+
+
+
+
+FOREWORD
+
+
+Liege on the Line of March, or An American Girl's Experience When the
+Germans Came Through Belgium, is a unique story. No other American
+probably was in the exact position of Miss Bigelow who was at the
+Chateau d'Angleur, Liege, Belgium, with the family of Monsieur X. at the
+outbreak of the war and experienced with them and the people of their
+country those tragic events which, up to the present, have hardly even
+been sketched for the world.
+
+What the public already knows of armies, guns, trenches, etc., has
+little to do with the suffering that the people of an invaded country
+endures, when the white-hot flame of the enemy invasion sweeps over the
+land scorching every flower and leaving in its wake only desolation and
+pain and despair. This narrative describes in detail just what might
+come to any one of its readers if the Germans were victorious in Europe.
+Let him picture to himself his line of action or even his line of
+thought if an insolent officer came into his home, took his paintings
+from the wall, his rugs from the floor, his private papers from his
+desk and, finally, his sons to--what fate? The most pacific of pacifists
+would draw a tight breath at such proceedings. And these are the least
+of things that have happened in Belgium.
+
+But the journal was not written with exhortative design. It is the
+simple and truthful story of daily events as they occurred; if, at
+times, the words seem brutal, the circumstances were brutal. Why should
+one not know them?
+
+The Chateau d'Angleur was respected as far as real pillaging and
+destroying were concerned for the fact that a cousin of Monsieur X., a
+Belgian by birth, is the wife of the Count von M. of Germany, at one
+time Grand Chancellor of the Imperial Court and a trusted friend of
+Emperor William the Second. As was proven afterwards this relationship,
+surprisingly enough, had some influence on the side of clemency.
+
+Monsieur X. was one of that family of famous Belgian bankers which has
+existed for four generations. He was also President of the International
+Sleeping Car Company of Europe to which honor he was appointed at the
+death of his brother Monsieur Georges X., the originator and founder of
+the Company.
+
+Madame X. is a Russian by birth, the great-granddaughter of Prince ----,
+who was at one time Grand Chancellor of the Court of Russia, and a
+cousin of Princess ----, a lady in waiting to Her Former Majesty the
+Czarina of Russia. The daughter of Madame X., Baronne de H., wife of a
+Belgian nobleman of Brussels, is a personal friend of Their Majesties,
+the King and Queen of Belgium.
+
+Miss Bigelow, though a neutral subject, was nevertheless a virtual
+prisoner of the Germans from August to November, 1914, owing to the lack
+of facility in getting away from Belgium. The railroad was taken over
+entirely by the German Army; automobiles, horses, carriages, etc., being
+long since confiscated and appropriated by the Germans. Considerable
+anxiety was felt as to her safety as no communication with the outside
+world was possible during those three months of internment. Therefore,
+her journal was faithfully kept for the benefit of her family and
+depicts the comfortable luxurious life of the days preceding August,
+1914, the shock of the Declaration of War, the terrific battle of
+Sartilmont, three kilometres from the chateau, which entailed indirectly
+the death of Monsieur X. in the early morning of the following day while
+the guns were still booming. It also includes the bombardment of Liege
+which lasted twelve days, the care of soldiers burned in the forts, the
+capture of the city by the Prussians, their brutal shooting of
+civilians, the burning of parts of the town and the taking of citizens
+as hostages.
+
+The passing of the German army with all its accompanying paraphernalia
+that went to the front in the first days is described as it was
+photographed on the brain of the writer, looking down from her window,
+day after day, onto the highroad.
+
+The journal ends with the attempted withdrawal to Brussels, the final
+escape to Holland by the aid of the Dutch Consul of Maestricht, the
+journey from Flushing, Holland, to Folkestone, England, to Calais and to
+Paris. The last part of this journal will appeal to those who have known
+and loved Paris in the old days, and portrays her to the world as the
+flower she is, revealing her truth and her worth tho' stripped of that
+individual worldliness which was yet a charm.
+
+_Note.--All except German names in the Journal are fictitious._
+
+
+
+
+LIEGE
+
+ON THE LINE OF MARCH
+
+
+
+
+LIEGE, ON THE LINE OF MARCH
+
+
+
+
+_July 30th, Thursday._
+
+
+To-day has been warm, very warm and sultry, a day of surprises,
+beginning with the sudden disappearance of Monsieur X.'s trusted head
+clerk--a German boy who has been in the office for fifteen years and who
+knew every phase of the situation. What reason on earth could he have
+had for vanishing like that with all his personal belongings, not
+leaving one trace behind to show that such a person had ever been? Odd,
+but certainly done with studied thoroughness.
+
+This afternoon we sat at the end of the garden by the little lake,
+listless and content to do nothing. The air was ominously still, as I
+remember it now, and the sun beat down through a yellow haze. Suddenly,
+without the slightest warning, huge drops of rain began to fall. You can
+imagine that we scurried up the path as fast as possible, past the old
+oak, and reached the terrace just before the very heavens opened in a
+flood and a great shaft of lightning, like a sword, swept down from the
+sky straight to the oak tree, crushing it completely. My hand trembles a
+little as I write tonight--it was the suddenness of the onslaught which
+unnerved me, I suppose, for it was a curious thing that there were no
+signs of approaching storm except the dull yellow light which we did not
+notice then.
+
+There was a small dinner this evening and the table was beautiful as
+usual with old silver and candles which shed their warm light about--all
+lovely and luxurious. Monsieur R., M.P., did his best to draw out the
+political opinions of the party, but conversation, quite contrary to
+custom, was fitful. I think every one was a little unstrung by the
+afternoon's experience and the air even yet is full of electricity.
+
+During one of the unwelcome pauses of the dinner a motor came panting up
+the drive and "Uncle Henri" burst in, virtually hatless and coatless,
+fairly bristling with political news and very much annoyed that
+something, anything, had wrecked his normal existence for a moment. But
+this something which has happened is terribly serious. The French trains
+are not going beyond the frontier to-night, and part of "Uncle Henri's"
+agitation was due to this fact as he had been obliged to walk a few
+hundred yards to get the Belgian train. In the excitement of such an
+unheard of proceeding he had plunged ponderously along in the dark and
+mud with his fellow-travellers and incidentally lost his luggage and his
+valet, the ineradicably English James. Nobody took in the seriousness of
+such a strange tale at first, for Uncle Henri is, before all, _tres
+comedien_. But why was he not in Russia as he was expected to be? Very
+good reasons indeed, for it appears that Austria and Serbia and Germany
+and Russia are about to jump down each other's throats, according to
+widespread rumor. France, too, is writhing in suppressed excitement
+which one cannot understand, with conditions growing worse every minute.
+It would seem rather left-handed for Germany and Russia to reach around
+through France to cross swords.
+
+Timid little Madame N. asked if these things might indicate War.
+Everybody scouted the idea and ridiculed the thought of the hard-headed,
+common-sense, Western world doing anything so absurd. So we will leave
+it to the _diplomats_ to settle the difficulty. I am glad that they can.
+
+
+
+
+_July 31st, Friday._
+
+
+Yesterday was only a preliminary to the seething in the tea-pot which
+exists as to-day's events show--everybody is bewildered at the
+tremendous things that have started and the equally tremendous things
+that have stopped. What does it all mean? There is the greatest
+excitement aroused by the foreign news in the evening papers, announcing
+in glaring headlines a diplomatic rupture between Germany and Russia. So
+it's true! Probably your seismic stock market has already foretold
+coming disturbance, but for Europe it is a positive bomb. Already here
+in Liege not more than half of the daily four hundred and eighty trains
+have passed the city, and it is reported that none of these go beyond
+the frontier.
+
+
+
+
+_August 1st, Saturday._
+
+
+Today the papers announce the stunning news that Germany has declared
+war against Russia. The report must be sufficiently authentic, for, as
+if by magic, the Belgian army is already gathering itself together with
+an almost superhuman rapidity, proof of which we have had in the masses
+of troops that have been passing the chateau all day. Yesterday, trouble
+was a newspaper rumor; today, deadly earnestness. And what excitement
+all about! The air is positively charged and the whole community is
+agog; people with anxious faces accost each other in the street;
+farmers neglect their crops to come into town, bank clerks lay down
+their pens and shop doors are beginning to close.
+
+
+
+
+_August 2nd, Sunday._
+
+
+The world has suddenly become nothing but people, and the transition
+from the peaceful, care-free existence of four days ago is so great that
+I cannot write intelligently, today, because so much is happening.
+Following on His Majesty King Albert's magnificent discourse [_Vive le
+roi!_], the spirit of a great and glorious decision has set the empire
+in motion. The vast machine moves--though some of the bolts creak and
+protest a little in their rusty coats and the earth trembles to the
+rhythm of tramping feet. Hundreds of soldiers and cannon have been
+passing all night, and this morning routes in every direction are
+blockaded by detachments from different regiments. There are uniforms of
+all types and colors, the ensemble looking like a variegated bouquet
+snatched hurriedly by the wayside; the sorting will come later, one
+doesn't ask how. The old farm at the end of the garden has been turned
+into a barracks, and recruits are being drilled among the apple trees in
+the orchard. The excitement is intense--one treads carefully fearing to
+be the first to prick the bubble. The newspapers are disquieting, as it
+appears now that Germany will probably declare war against France, too,
+and is contemplating passing through Belgium by Namur or Luxembourg to
+the French frontier. That is a rather offensive threat, as, of course,
+there is the neutrality of Belgium and one cannot get away with that. We
+consider ourselves most lucky to be here rather than in France.
+
+A detachment of Belgian soldier boys slept in the stables last night.
+Monsieur X. sent them his best cigars, and this morning, as soon as they
+tumbled out, they made a straight line for the kitchen whence they
+scented hot coffee. The good heart of the old, fat cook, who is a native
+of Amsterdam, was melted at once and she gave unsparingly until they
+flattered and coaxed her into such a state of bewilderment that even
+Dutch patience was at last exhausted when she saw them pouring in and
+pouring in and boldly attacking her sumptuous pantries _en masse_.
+
+
+
+
+_August 3rd, Monday._
+
+
+Preparations for war are going on rapidly; scores of automobiles are
+racing past like mad things, carrying Governmental messages no doubt
+and the Government itself, by its eternal prerogative, is commandeering
+for its use everybody's private property--horses, cows, automobiles,
+pigs, merchandise, provisions, etc. And how one gives for one's country!
+The men, their goods; the women, their sons. The spirit of the people is
+magnificent. Huge loads of hay in long processions like caravans are
+coming in from the country along with immense droves of cattle. In the
+orchard adjoining the chateau are already domiciled two hundred or more
+cows and the discordant melody from this hoarse-throated chorus,
+uninterrupted day or night, is driving us to madness. Indoors, we
+ourselves are laying in a supply of things in case of necessity and the
+kitchen is piled high with bags of flour, coffee, beans, tinned goods,
+etc., and in the pasture is a new cow. Beef will probably be the _piece
+de resistance_ for many a day.
+
+Monsieur X.'s old coiffeur came out from town today. He is French and by
+far the most volatile person about the news of the moment that I have
+seen. It is like a play to hear him declaim on the situation, but, poor
+man, having endured the Siege of Paris for six months in 1870, he
+doubtless has recollections. And he makes the most of them as well as of
+his dramatic ability, describing in an eloquent manner how he fried
+rats in a saucepan, which with some spice and plenty of onion all
+around, he admitted, were "_pas mal du tout_." Madame X. herself was in
+the "Siege of Paris" in 1870 and is therefore taking thought.
+
+These details of the equipment and provisioning of the army will be as
+interesting to you as they are engaging to us here in the midst of it,
+for they are not commonly even included in a rapid conception of "War"
+though being in reality the biggest part of it.
+
+What masses of convoys and munitions! They must constitute that same
+impressive "impedimenta" that one used to read about in Caesar's Wars
+which by its unfailing late arrival constantly threw the old Romans into
+such a frightful _depit_. But happily, in this case, it comes first
+instead of last.
+
+The whole world seems to be changing place like sand on a moving disc
+and my mind is losing its grip on what is real--it's a curious feeling.
+Madame X. and her family, like everybody else, are extremely anxious, as
+one would naturally be with his country, his home and his future in
+peril, but I, in my superb (what shall I say?) Americanism or optimism,
+am sure it will come out all right: nevertheless I feel confused.
+
+
+
+
+_August 4th, Tuesday._
+
+
+The situation, already grave, has taken a definite turn. Germany is
+going to attack France through Belgium. Completely ignoring the
+neutrality of the latter, she demands to "just pass through peaceably,"
+but being refused permission, so much the worse for those who are in the
+road. Personally speaking, I should say we are decidedly in the
+road--Aix-la-Chapelle--Liege--Namur. Don't you think the crow would
+agree with me?
+
+We saw a charming spectacle this morning if anything connected with war
+can be so called,--a little company of _mitrailleuses-a-chien_, that is,
+small, shrapnel gun carriages drawn by the famous Belgian dogs. It sort
+of made my heart crinkle up to see those magnificent animals, detailed
+for fatal duty without doubt, pushing on so joyously. Straining in the
+traces and really smiling with their great tongues hanging out, they
+were performing their work, proud as Punch, and eager to get on.
+
+In the afternoon we were suddenly startled by the booming of nearby
+cannon. I shall never forget the first sound of it! It might have been
+the Last Trumpet and we didn't know that it was not. My soul turned sick
+and seemed to be tumbling down a fathomless abyss while a pair of
+unprejudiced eyes watched its descent. Please do not think I am not
+serious--it is a moment when one meets things face to face and the
+inevitable is happening. We hear that the firing is for the purpose of
+demolishing houses and churches before the forts, which might in any way
+obstruct the range of the guns. Did I explain that Liege is encircled by
+twelve forts, built about twenty-eight years ago under the personal
+direction of General Brialmont? They are on the same principle as those
+of Namur and Bucharest, and are large affairs of concrete, sunk three
+stories under ground and furnished with elaborate electrical apparatus.
+Covering and protecting the cannon are automatic, armored cupolas,
+rising and falling with the modern, disappearing guns. Here is a tiny,
+freehand map which will give you an idea of the country as well as the
+situation of Chateau d'A----, where I am and which is just between the
+city and the enceinte of forts. A shell overreaching this latter, from
+the enemy's field cannon, would, I should say, tumble right into our
+"zone." But we do not even admit of such a possibility in speaking to
+each other. Isn't it funny how we continue to deceive ourselves and life
+is a sham to the last throw?
+
+[Illustration: MAP OF LIEGE WITH THE TWELVE SURROUNDING FORTS]
+
+General Brialmont warned the Government when the forts were under
+construction, that if it could not maintain an army sufficiently strong
+to defend the open country between them, he was building them for the
+Germans. That statement revived suddenly, gives rise to an apprehension
+hitherto unfelt by the _Liegeois_, who have absolute faith in the
+impregnability of Liege.
+
+Madame X.'s oldest son, Monsieur S., and his wife, arrived tonight from
+France by auto. They would never have been able to get here if Monsieur
+S. had not the royal seal on some state papers which he was bringing
+from the Belgian Embassy in Paris. Was there ever such a wildly exciting
+ride, plunging through two battle lines (French and Belgian) into massed
+formations everywhere? Nevertheless Madame S. said she used to fall
+asleep from sheer fatigue during the long drives in the blackness of the
+night or when they were stopped for hours at a time to identify even a
+king's messenger.
+
+
+
+
+_August 5th, Wednesday._
+
+
+I wonder what you are thinking of events, at home? You will marvel that
+I can write at such length when the very skies seem to be pressing down
+upon us. But it is the greatest relaxation possible and a kind of
+safety valve. It makes me think of some lines of Shakespeare where
+different conditions "oft make the wise dumb and teach the fool to
+speak." So I write on. The news we get may not be altogether authentic,
+as we receive nothing now except by word of mouth. By report it seems
+that England, France and Russia are prepared to defend the neutrality of
+Belgium with their armies. Liege is now in a state of siege with the
+Prussians before the forts. Commerce in the city has ceased completely
+with the railroad, telegraph, telephone, post, tramcars, newspapers,
+shops and factories. Can you understand what that means? At one time or
+another in our lives most of us have been the victim of a social
+condition called a "strike"--horribly inconvenient circumstances, when
+the mail-man did not come, for instance, or train service was laid off
+or the electric light went out for a time. But these instances were all
+individual, that is, they happened separately, while here the whole
+Universe has shut down together. I could not make you comprehend the
+criticalness of our position. I feel as if we were suspended by the
+finest thread between heaven and earth, for there is nothing very solid
+under our feet and only a sea of ether over our heads. This description
+is wholly inadequate to interpret the sensation or the uncertainty. Can
+you imagine what it would be like? I cannot exactly say I feel "fear";
+perhaps I cannot define fear; but a heaven-sent optimism buoys me up. In
+our journeys 'round, having previously experienced cold plunges in the
+dark, the fascination of "chance" lets us hope.
+
+"War!" What other lone factor could bring about at the same moment, such
+circumstances, the absolute cessation of every living element of our
+existence? I know that you will be amused at my sudden plunging into the
+psychological realm, but it all makes me wonder. Oh, our dear
+civilization and the convenient things we are used to! A puff of smoke,
+a hostile shot and they are gone. And here we are, groping like the
+veriest savage for a hole to hide in and something to eat. I assure you,
+nothing else occupies us for the moment. How is it that the whole house
+of cards falls down together? In all these centuries of Struggle and
+Learning and Science and Dissent has nobody found a common leaven for
+bread?
+
+It is not yet decided if we shall go to Brussels considering what is
+rather sure to happen. Several days ago large quantities of gasoline
+were buried in the garden under the shrubbery in the event of our
+leaving quickly by automobile. However, Brussels is an open city and it
+is a question if we would be as well off there as here in this strongly
+fortified place.
+
+But Dieu! If they do come--? There is the sub-cellar of the chateau
+whose fine arches and solid vaulting two hundred years old, would hold
+even if the house were burned down about our ears. But no! To be
+suffocated under burning ruins, no, no! We will not think of that!
+
+A moment of reckless mirth assails me: I want to scream! I feel like the
+fair Dido mounting her funeral pyre.
+
+One other hiding place has been thought of. Up in the woods on the
+hill-side is a long tunnel about four feet in diameter which conducts a
+tiny mountain stream down to the lake. It is dark and wet. Could we stay
+there on our knees in the water for many hours, perhaps days? Heavens!
+It is unthinkable. Let us die in the open, if die we must.
+
+I am writing this morning in my room, which looks out on the highroad
+and the hurrying troops. It is not a time that one would choose for
+composition, but I want you to get as vivid an impression as possible of
+events as they occur, _et enfin_, I must do something. The booming of
+cannon has commenced again, which is sufficiently frequent and of a
+certain terrifying decision to assure us that fighting has really
+begun.
+
+This ceased during the early evening and we went to bed in peace. That
+is, we went to bed. Madame X.'s oldest son was detailed for sentinel
+duty on the little road at the side of the chateau leading up to the
+plateau from where the sound of guns came during the day. Monsieur J.,
+the other son, with a friend of his, was carrying messages from one fort
+to another in his auto, miraculously scooting between the shots.
+
+About 10 P. M. we were violently awakened by furious sounds of
+shots in the distance which must have been rifle fire and which grew
+more and more distinct, gradually becoming incessant like a long,
+uninterrupted drum roll--the machine guns, I suppose. These frightful
+noises, increased in volume by the minute and coming on and on in our
+direction, were shortly right over the hill above us. The bullets rained
+like hail and shells shrieked and split the universe from end to end. We
+lay in our beds, trembling, while utter terror seized us as the fracas
+would subside a little and then roll nearer and nearer in a perfect
+deluge of horrible sounds. Suddenly in the middle of it all a terrific
+blast rent the air; the forts had entered into this hideous contest! Oh
+the joy of it! I hardly breathed between their shots which seemed
+centuries apart and in reality were only a few minutes, for I thought,
+now, surely the struggle must end; no enemy can long withstand their
+mighty will. But the battle lasted all night with increasing fury. The
+roar and din were beyond words, the concerted effort of four forts, the
+giant field cannon, machine guns and rifles. My heart stands still when
+I remember the thundering of those forts, the premeditated destruction,
+the finality which each boom! bespoke, and the thousands of human beings
+up there fighting like madmen. The latter, in the wild confusion of
+fire, battle and the blackness of the night, finished by shooting into
+each other by mistake as their officers were cut down in their midst.
+
+About 2 A. M. we all gathered in Madame X.'s sitting-room.
+Suddenly, quite unconscious of any definite purpose, I remember pulling
+on the light. Monsieur X., aghast, said, "Mademoiselle, put it out
+quickly. They might see it through the dark and aim for it."
+
+What a night! and what visions we conjured up of the invincible
+Prussians, drunk with blood and battle ready for any atrocity, plunging
+down the hill into our own garden. The sound of the guns was so near
+that Monsieur X. thought the battle must be in the open on his own
+property just above the hill. As a matter of fact it was only three
+kilometres away, on the plain of Sartilmont.
+
+
+
+
+_August 6th, Thursday._
+
+
+Rain came with the light. That gentle pattering on the sod, after the
+tumult of the night, was the sweetest sound I ever heard. It was just as
+if Nature had put out Her mother's hand over the earth to soothe its
+troubled breast. Was she pleading for that mercy which drops as Her own
+gentle tears from Heaven?
+
+During the morning the road in front of the chateau was filled with
+Belgian troops, bedraggled with mud, trying to regain order. And there
+they halted for hours and hours in the rain--an absolute picture of
+dejection. Even the horses imbibed the general despair as they stood
+there, heads drooping, their manes stirring in the wind. That must be
+the hard part of it--waiting for orders; but they did it well, no
+impatience nor fretting, just obeying the command, their very immobility
+carving them a niche in the landscape. These men had been fighting for
+several days and, bowed down as they were with the wet and misery of it
+all, made a shocking contrast to fresh troops of cavalry which passed at
+the same time, brandishing long, dramatic looking lances. And Felix,
+the second gardener, who is one of these "_lanciers_," came to say
+good-bye in the elegant uniform of his regiment and looking very smart
+in white trousers and short blue jacket--in fact, a man transformed.
+
+I had always seen him in wooden sabots and blue apron coaxing this
+flower and that into bloom, but he had never been a great success at it.
+When his elder brother died, he had wished, so much, to replace him as
+head-gardener, so his master let him try for a little and he had failed,
+indifferently. But here was a soldier-man, stout heart and valiant
+sword, eager to serve his King. This time he will not fail but will meet
+his opportunity more than half way.[1] All day Red Cross ambulances and
+every kind of vehicle were hurrying by, bringing the wounded from the
+battlefield. Madame X.'s family physician stopped in on one of his trips
+for a moment's respite from the awfulness up there--his description of
+those scenes is too terrible to write about. The carnage was
+awful--pieces of bodies scattered about everywhere, the wounded writhing
+in their death agony and the dead standing up straight against masses of
+dead.
+
+In the evening, indistinct sounds of a far off battle could be heard as
+the struggle moved on to another quarter. Nearer, we heard the trailing
+of heavy artillery down the mountain and against our will the thought
+formulated itself, "Will that wave of terror roll back to us?" Our ears
+have developed an abnormal acuteness, so that almost a pin falling will
+make taut nerves scream, though in reality nobody moves--a glance is
+enough to both ask and answer a question. A marvelous new
+self-possession seems to have come to everybody which bridges over a
+natural despair and forms, at least, a skeleton framework by which we
+keep each other up.
+
+FOOTNOTE:
+
+[1] Not heard of again.
+
+
+
+
+_August 7th, Friday._
+
+
+More or less booming from the forts all day. As communications of every
+kind have been cut off, we cannot know what is happening. But where is
+the assistance so direfully needed, promised by both France and England
+to poor little Belgium with the great German army moving on Liege?
+Everybody has faith, however, in the Allies, and in the streets it is
+pathetic to hear people assuring each other, "_O, oui, les Francais
+viennent ce soir_" (Oh, yes, the French are coming to-night). There are
+many German troops in town already, who somehow have pushed their way
+in between the firing, but the city will not cede the forts, so the
+bombardment may begin at any moment. I cannot define my
+impressions--some day I may be able to, but just now I do not know what
+they are. Happily the chateau is on the edge of the city and there is a
+certain quiet at present, but in town pandemonium reigns. Men, women and
+children are fleeing in all directions with their few most precious
+possessions tied up in a bundle. And where are they going to, the poor
+things, with all roads in the country choked up, soldiers and trenches
+everywhere?
+
+
+
+
+_August 8th, Saturday._
+
+
+This morning we walked through the garden to service in the little
+village church. For a short moment a welcome calm stole over us in the
+quiet of those walls, but how sinister to hear the eternal boom of
+cannon between the words of the Mass. All the bridges of the city are
+mined and guarded. The five days given Liege by the Prussians to
+surrender are up tonight. What will tomorrow bring forth? The Belgians
+have blown up the tunnel at Trois Ponts, near the German frontier, as
+well as the railroad in many places, which will impede the enemy's
+advance considerably, and great trees have been cut down across the
+roads in all the country roundabout.
+
+Mere Gavin came hobbling down the path from the top of the hill this
+evening to tell us of the astonishing experience she had this afternoon
+when a peasant came to her old hut and offered to buy her cow. Now as
+her cow is her most precious possession and her sole support she refused
+at once, tho' frightened at her own boldness. The stranger, however, was
+rather insistent and asked if she would rent the cow, then, for fifty
+francs an hour? Was there ever a queerer offer? Of course fifty francs
+was a gold-mine to Mere Gavin, so she accepted, and was fairly overcome
+when the man laid down three hundred francs on the table and told her to
+keep them for him. Then he drove the cow away over the hills while Mere
+G. sat staring stupidly at her gold. After a time he came back (with the
+cow) and said, "Old One, three hours after I have gone, you can tell
+your people that the red _pantalons_ (French soldiers) will be here in
+forty-eight hours." Was that not a clever way for a French Scout to find
+out the lie of the land?
+
+
+
+
+_August 9th, Sunday._
+
+
+Some of the Prussians have succeeded in penetrating into the city, tho'
+the forts have not surrendered, and are already establishing martial
+rule. Aeroplanes, with the wings turned back, _Taubes_, have been flying
+about all the morning. In the afternoon we went up over the hill to the
+plain of Sartilmont, the battlefield of Wednesday night. All along the
+road were heaps of uniforms, some quite new, probably taken from the
+dead. Those horrid limp things made me shiver with their lifelessness,
+and the spirit of death, everywhere, seemed to close us in. Countless
+numbers of haversacks were strewn about, doubtless cast away by the
+soldiers to disencumber themselves in falling quickly back from one
+position to another. In them, generally, was a change of underwear,
+light boots, hard biscuit, canned meats and confiture. Already a flock
+of human ravens was collected about the piles of debris, sorting out
+what was good to take and collecting fragments of bread for a happy
+repast. It was sickening to see, when possibly some of those brave, dead
+soldiers were lying, yet unburied, in the nearby hedges and ravines.
+Arrived at the little village we saw destruction a plenty. The
+inhabitants all had terror-stricken countenances and yet in their desire
+to please, literally fell over each other in haste to tell and show.
+Some of the buildings were entirely demolished, others with doors hacked
+up and windows broken, while everywhere houses and trees were riddled
+with bullets. One old peasant woman told me that she and fifty others
+were imprisoned for twenty-four hours by the Germans in a tiny stable,
+without food or drink, and for no apparent reason.
+
+The battlefield on the top of a ridge of hills between the Ourthe and
+the Meuse is a large plain, around the edges of which lay scores of
+magnificent trees cut down in haste to give unobstructed range. Their
+branches had been previously soaked in _petrole_ and set on fire. The
+effect of those prostrate, charred monsters added to the desolation all
+around. Across the end of the plain were those famous open trenches of
+"two stories," that is, with about a two-foot elevation of earth in the
+bottom against the front wall of the ditch, forming a kind of platform
+for the soldiers when taking aim.
+
+These were dug by the soldiers and men from the factories of Liege. In
+front of the trenches were constructed those marvellous, barbed wire
+fences, about one and one half metres apart and perhaps five rows deep,
+with the wire twisted and wound in every conceivable fashion. Thirty
+feet in front of this barrier was buried a string of mines, connected
+with the trenches by an electric wire, to be exploded at a given
+moment. Dark as the night was, the enemy found and severed some of
+these communications so that most of the mines were rendered
+ineffective. We saw the cut wire in several places. What hope can those
+poor soldiers have, enemy or no, the advance guard of the besiegers, who
+are pushed forward often at the point of the bayonet, armed only with
+huge scissors to cut through such an almost impenetrable defense?
+
+A most touching sight was the graves of thirty Belgians in one end of
+these trenches. Does that not seem a terrible irony to be buried in
+one's own trenches? A few common, wayside flowers were strewn on the
+graves, in front of which was an old prayer-stool and a wooden cross
+surmounted with a Belgian _kepi_ (military cap). This cap seemed a
+living thing almost and reminded me of the red fez so often seen on the
+Moslem tombs in the cemeteries of Constantinople, which seemingly
+strives to evoke a vital spirit from the frigid marble. Nailed to the
+cross was a fragment of those well-known lines of the Immortal Caesar,
+"Of all the peoples of Gaul, the Belgians are the bravest." You see, the
+old warrior knew that long ago.
+
+Near by was a small, shrapnel gun carriage, by which stood a toothless,
+old man who told, in that excruciating _Wallon_ tongue, a pathetic story
+of one of the dogs which had probably drawn it. His mate doubtless was
+killed in battle, but he returned three days later, lay down beside the
+broken wheels and defied anyone to approach.
+
+
+
+
+_Monday, August 10th._
+
+
+Monsieur S. came home to-day laden down with bags of gold like Ali Baba.
+How he is going to do away with it so that the ferret eyes of the enemy
+will not spy it out, is a problem to me. And I do not want it explained
+for I am sure I should look right into the forbidden corner at the wrong
+moment and give the secret away.
+
+Although there are thousands of German soldiers who have come into the
+city and who control it, they are like rats in a trap. On account of the
+twelve surrounding forts they cannot leave it and for the same reason no
+one can come to their aid. So they have mounted machine guns in corner
+houses of many streets and it is horrible to see those deadly mouths
+gaping out of the windows. In case of an uprising among the civilians
+the soldiers' revenge will be to kill the women and children. But no!
+that is not possible in these days, from men who are neither savages nor
+Turks.
+
+A heavy cannonading began at 4.30 A. M.--it literally tore us
+from sleep, for it seemed as if the very house were tumbling down about
+our ears and the singing and whizzing of those big shells was _bizarre_,
+to put it mildly. One did not know whether to get up or efface one's
+self in the blankets. I remember having the utmost confidence in the
+headboard of my bed, which was toward the window. But that did not
+obliterate the siren whistle of those big shells and the moment of
+suspense between the lightning and the thunder. After each deafening
+burst I kept reiterating to myself, "Saved again," as one would repeat a
+chronological table of something important. About 8.00 A. M. we
+straggled into the breakfast room--all of us rather lifeless and with
+very white faces and little appetite for either eating or talking. There
+seemed to be only one thing to say, which was, "Did you hear that?" It
+was the same sensation again of the thread between heaven and earth. I
+wonder if it will break!
+
+This afternoon we took a little walk into the city along the river,
+Madame X., her two sons--Monsieur S. and Monsieur J., her daughter,
+Baronne de H., and myself. We passed several Prussian guards on the
+bridges and Monsieur S. talked with one of them. It appears that the men
+are very disheartened. This man said he had started with a company of
+seven hundred soldiers and entered Liege with sixty four. That's what it
+means to "take cities without difficulty"--and nobody remembers the
+seven hundred mothers, or wives, or children that are left. The
+burgomaster has received some most sensational news from Brussels, but
+it is too ridiculous to be believed.
+
+Tonight is still and Nature is beautiful in the moonlight. Is it the
+calm before the storm? Here in the chateau we are comfortable with
+plenty to eat and faithful servants. In town one is not so lucky as a
+cousin of Madame X. is quartering forty soldiers and ten officers at
+table who are not--or rather, who are a little argumentative, and we
+have heard of some instances where the "host" and "hostess" have had to
+sleep in the garret or the cellar or wherever they could, while the best
+rooms are appropriated by the _militaires_. Blankets, etc., are also
+being requisitioned from many houses.
+
+It is reported that General Leman narrowly escaped being captured
+recently when he was lunching in the court of the Cafe ---- in town. His
+companions-in-arms suddenly became aware of four men in strange uniform
+who were approaching, and gave the alarm. General Leman succeeded in
+getting over the wall of the garden while the others engaged the spies
+in a hand-to-hand fight and overcame them.
+
+
+
+
+_August 11th, Tuesday._
+
+
+Invincible Liege! People are still firm in their faith, encouraged by
+the peace of the morning. The day was quiet until 6.00 _P. M._, when
+furious shooting into the valley began. We saw the great shells bursting
+in the air and between the clouds of smoke we could distinguish an old
+monastery on the other side of the valley which was being shot to pieces
+by the enemy's field-cannon. The structure changed shape half a dozen
+times before our eyes and the setting sun concentrated, as if purposely,
+all its rays on the windows which made them blaze forth through all that
+fury like the veritable Hand of God, writing in fire. It seemed almost
+like a premonition.
+
+Pressure from those tremendous guns could remodel mountains, and Nature
+herself, sometimes, cannot hold out against the fiendish ingenuity of
+man. And the city, itself! Can it hold out?
+
+In the garden, very near the foot of the mountain, is the old farmhouse,
+in one corner of which is a little chapel whose door stands open the
+year round. It is of particular interest to the peasants, being the
+last relic of a certain superstitious legend of the countryside. The
+people come from miles around, crossing the fields by a little path
+which they themselves have beaten down, to kneel before this tiny altar;
+and on the last Sunday in May, the annual fete, the priests, leading a
+religious procession which starts from the church, say Mass there. This
+year, May 31st, 1914, the head gardener, who is the indisputable
+authority on floral subjects in the village, borrowed everything from
+the conservatory and gardens that he could lay his hands on in the way
+of decoration. He arranged the semi-circle in front of the little chapel
+very artistically with branches of leaves, palms and hundreds of pansies
+which the day before had been uprooted from the terraces of the chateau
+to make room for the red, summer geraniums.
+
+At ten o'clock this Sunday morning the usual fusillade and tolling of
+bells announced the departure of the procession from the church. It
+passed slowly along by the highroad and presently we heard a chorus of
+young voices singing hymns--the girls and boys of the village: the music
+was soft and illusive in the distance, developing a sweet crescendo as
+they turned into the pasture, fairly plowing their way through a sea of
+daisies. Behind them came two little acolytes, fair as angels, swinging
+their golden incense lamps; then followed six choir boys, chanting the
+Mass, like veritable della Robbias, in their red soutanes and exquisite,
+white, lace surplices. Next were the clergy, in robes of cloth of gold
+and rare Flemish lace, carrying the Host under a purple velvet canopy.
+The village people followed on in quiet devoutness and, arrived at the
+chapel, placed lighted candles in the sconces at each side of the grille
+door. When the Mass was said and the last plaintive notes had died away,
+little children came forward and heaped their thousand-colored bouquets
+before the altar. It was an impressive ceremony and must, by its
+charming simplicity, leave a mark on many a worldly heart.
+
+Today, August 11th, 1914, at dusk, as the cannon had ceased firing, we
+took a little recreation, following the paths on the mountainside;
+looking down from a height of perhaps one hundred feet through the
+trees, we saw the little chapel gleaming like a beacon in the dark,
+dozens of blinking candles pinioned against the black walls. The grille
+door was woven with nosegays, making a curtain of flowers which
+partially concealed the altar beyond.
+
+Before it, stretching up supplicating hands, many women knelt, bowed
+down with grief and despair, and children, awed by recent memories,
+stood immovable in their places. Poor, poor people! Some of them in
+spite of their unwavering faith must drink the bitter cup so near at
+hand.
+
+
+
+
+_August 13th, Thursday._
+
+
+It is true that one gets inured to danger (particularly if one has not
+so far been hit) and after a week of the bombardment, we have a distinct
+feeling of annoyance at being disturbed at an unearthly hour every
+morning by the screeching and bursting of shells.
+
+About four A. M. we were awakened by another terrifying
+whizzing and exploding of bombs as if we were in the very midst of a
+battlefield. This lasted about three hours and all we could do was wait.
+I often wonder if it's as hard for the men to go off to war as it is for
+the women to stay. The battle was inconceivably furious this morning. If
+you could imagine five hundred of the worst thunderstorms, shaken up
+together, that you ever experienced, you would arrive at a mild notion
+of the tumult, not counting the apprehension, the danger and that
+terrifying voice in the whistling trail of every shell which sings,
+"This time I'll get you." At four this afternoon the Fort of
+Chaudefontaine fell, blown up by the Prussians. Between four and six
+o'clock the firing ceased.
+
+It was an evening of ineffable beauty and the garden looked so lovely in
+its mantle of roses, the little lake at the foot with its white swans
+and the wooded mountain rising up almost from its waters--a picture of
+calm and contentment. We were there taking a long breath after the
+nightmare of the day, when the young gardener rushed in from the village
+with the news that thirty of the soldiers in the fort, wounded and
+burned beyond recognition, were being brought into the Sisters' Convent,
+which had been turned into a Red Cross Ambulance hospital.
+
+The shells from the great field pieces of the enemy falling upon the
+forts had shattered the cupolas and had caused them to fall in upon the
+Belgians who were thus imprisoned and barely escaped suffocation from
+the poisonous gases of the exploding shells. The electric wires were cut
+immediately so that the poor things who were entrapped three stories
+underground groped about in the dark some time before they at last found
+the stairs which led them up through shot and flame and gas to the air.
+
+Gathering some old linen together we fairly flew across the field to the
+convent and stopped short, staggered by what we saw. Never on this
+earth could one imagine so horrible a sight as those thirty charred
+bodies with no suggestion of faces--just a flat, swollen, black surface,
+with no eyes, nose nor mouth. Some of the wounded lay on beds, others in
+the middle of the floor or wherever there was space, and each was
+holding up hands burned to the bone. The room was dimly lighted, a
+hushed quiet reigned except for an occasional stifled groan of pain or a
+sigh of concern from the villagers or the swish of the black garments of
+those ministering angels, the nuns, as they fluttered about among the
+suffering; their white coifs, like a halo, contrasting them with that
+other Angel, whose black wings, indeed visible, already shadowed his
+chosen.
+
+
+
+
+_August 14th, Friday._
+
+
+One has hoped against hope, but the worst has happened and the people
+are despondent. Liege is certainly in the hands of the Prussians. They
+have been pouring into the city all day and most of the forts have
+either been destroyed by the German field artillery or been blown up by
+their defenders rather than surrender. We nursed the soldiers all
+day--if last night was horrible I could not find the words to describe
+what the daylight revealed, or the awful odor of burned flesh when the
+wounds were redressed. It was pitiful to see the courage of the poor
+men--the Belgians are brave not only on the battle field. With lips too
+seared to articulate, they would try to speak and one could occasionally
+catch an indistinct "_de l'eau_," or a half-formed "_Merci, chere
+Soeur_," but never a moan or a groan.
+
+At night, as we were wearily returning home, the young footman, with
+ashen face, met us half-way down the steps and announced that there
+would be Prussian officers at dinner who were already quartered in the
+chateau. We were nearly too tired to be impressed at this as one
+naturally would, at least, be moved in one sense or another, but we did
+inwardly wonder what the keynote might be at table.
+
+At eight o'clock dinner was served. Madame X.'s daughter and I, after
+such a scrubbing and disinfecting, came down the last ones and stepped
+into a veritable playworld of the Middle Ages with the most beautiful
+setting--a large salon, opening out onto the terrace, with old,
+Flemish-wood fire-place and raftered ceiling, Japanese bronzes, rugs
+from the Orient, soft lamps and portraits of dear grandmothers, in the
+beauty of their youth, smiling out from their golden frames on the
+walls. As we came into the room from the brightly lighted hall, a
+semi-circle of gray-green coats rose right up out of the dimness and we
+were blinded by a vision of shining buttons, polished boots, gleaming
+swords and a military salute accompanied by clinking spurs. At the end
+of the room stood Madame X. and her sons waiting for us. Naturally there
+were no presentations and the moment was unique in the extreme--nobody
+moved for a second which seemed like a decade and nobody spoke, so all
+there remained to do was to acknowledge the salute with a semi-circular
+bow.
+
+Dinner was an odd affair tho' it went off not so badly. Madame X., in
+her proud Russian beauty and her admirable control of the conditions,
+was superb. I never admired anybody so much, for it is not easy to
+entertain at one's board an enemy who has just usurped home and country,
+but her extraordinary charm and dignity gave the situation its note and
+the "guests" were everything that was agreeable. We talked of
+generalities, as well as "War," in four languages (Russian, French,
+English and German) with much the same _sang-froid_ as the juggler who
+tosses knives and, when the meal was done, thanked Heaven that nobody
+had launched a tactless bomb which might have plunged us into a boiling
+sea. There was nothing particularly boastful in their conversation,
+though at times a certain assured reference to "Paris in a fortnight"
+crept in, which we found difficult to digest--in fact I was furious.
+Paris, indeed! Beautiful Paris! My neighbor at table on the right was a
+man of perhaps fifty-eight years, rather gray and grandfatherly, with
+such nice, blue eyes. Prefacing all his remarks with a nervous little
+cough to fix my attention, he would launch with difficulty one or two
+phrases in restricted French followed by a few straggling words in
+English and finally finished up with a burst of voluble German. It was a
+work of art to understand him, but I arrived panting--at least I had
+that sensation, and it is not the first time I have given thanks for a
+woman's natural intuition. Then I decided to lead out next--anyway I
+wanted to get him started on "War" without precipitating an
+international difficulty and I asked him as stupidly as possible
+(perhaps I did not need to simulate that) if he liked "War." He
+hesitated just a second and I was prepared for the usual self-respecting
+denial when he horrified me by answering a simple "Yes." _Voila, le
+sentiment prusse!_
+
+Afterward when we went into the salon all the officers, commencing with
+the superior, came up to Madame X. and kicking their spurs together with
+the habitual "_Danke, Frau_," kissed our hands all around. The youngest
+soldier among them was a handsome boy of about twenty-two years, who
+interested me rather, because he was different--even his boots were
+different and he truly had a striking manner, though very gracious. I am
+convinced that he was a prince of a reigning house. The atmosphere had a
+way of parting in rapid waves when he came in and dropping behind him
+like an impervious shield when he went out. Fair, young Achilles! Will a
+fatal arrow attain his charmed person?
+
+
+
+
+_August 15th, Saturday._
+
+
+We took care of the wounded all day: it is the most heartrending
+spectacle to see those poor, black heads lying there on their pillows.
+They were so shapeless and immovable, I had almost begun to look upon
+them as without life like charred logs, when, after finishing a dressing
+this morning, I was startled by a hearty, "_Merci, chere Soeur._" Oh,
+the joy of it! That brightened the whole scene and flooded me with hope.
+Then they have not lost their intelligences, they aren't mere pieces of
+wood and one day when their poor flesh has rejuvenated itself, they will
+be given back to real life--and their country, again.
+
+The village people and the Sisters were so ardent in their desire to
+help that dressings well covered with ointment sometimes fell from their
+eager fingers onto grimy blankets or flopped, butter side down, so to
+speak, upon the floor; which did not disconcert anyone but me, whose
+modern prophylactic soul rattled and shook with horror as the
+recalcitrant bandage was gaily redeemed from its dusty resting-place and
+applied as originally intended.
+
+It seemed as if I must remonstrate, but the dear whole-hearted helper
+was so sure that her dressing would cure and the patient was so
+overwhelmingly grateful for the trouble she took to pick it up for him,
+that I was dumb before their exquisite faith.
+
+Here was something too big for my stilted aseptic advice and it occurred
+to me, suddenly, that perhaps there _are_ many things yet undreamed of
+in our philosophy.
+
+All day long the troops in an endless chain have been passing on the
+highroad before the chateau. The air was full of mingled sounds, as, for
+example, the singing of the soldiers in the distance, which sounds like
+the droning of bees far away and always heralds an advance of troops;
+the rhythmic shuffling of feet, the thud of horses' hoofs, the chugging
+of autos which carry the superior officers, and the heavy wheels of the
+gun carriages with their clanking chains. Their order, equipment and
+discipline are admirable to see.
+
+All their apparel is new, as one of the officers told Monsieur D. at
+Spa. Uniforms, boots, belts, saddles, bridles and even buttons--all new
+and spic and span for a triumphal entry into Paris. Each man carries two
+sets of buttons, one for field service (negligible) and the other,
+shining brass ones, for the review down the Champs Elysees.
+
+All the officers wear a tiny card-board map of Belgium about (3" x 4"),
+hung on their coat buttons and every soldier has embossed on his belt
+plate "_Gott mit Uns._" At dinner the officers were very entertaining;
+the ice was somewhat broken, at least, we knew better what piece was
+safe clinging to and we managed to exchange some ideas. It is rather odd
+how few of these educated men speak French. In fact, it is so odd that
+it makes us suspicious and cautious. Monsieur J. attacked the captain
+with this question, as a leader, "when he thought the war would be
+over?" (This being the second week of it.) His answer was _net_ and
+forbade argument--"We shall be 'home' by Christmas, or Easter at the
+latest." But he did have the grace to congratulate the Belgian army on
+its stout defense of Liege, for instead of the two days given the
+Germans by their Emperor to capture it, they had been constrained to
+take nearly two weeks at it.
+
+
+
+
+_August 16th, Sunday._
+
+
+A warm, beautiful morning. As Madame de H. and I walked through the
+garden and the wood to the little convent ambulance, it was difficult
+not to contrast smiling Nature with the frightful scenes of which, in a
+few minutes, we would be a part. The awful stench of burned flesh met us
+half a block away and congealed my courage as I walked, for it permeates
+everything. We can even taste it, it clings in our hair when we go home
+and we are obliged to hang our nursing clothes out of the window all
+night. I felt as if I must run away from it and those terrible
+dressings, reeking with purulence, where ears and eyelids and lips come
+off and fingers and hands peel like a glove.
+
+Then I thought of the patience of those brave fellows and the pain and
+awfulness of living it. The fortitude and devotion of the village men
+and women are beyond praise--they come day after day to help in the
+nursing, some spending the night, turn and turn about. Especially the
+tenderness of the men for their "_camarades_" is one of the sweetest
+things I ever saw, for they are as gentle and capable in their care as
+any woman could possibly be.
+
+Prussian troops continue to pass and it is a wonderfully impressive
+sight; infantry in gray-green khaki, singing, always singing their
+famous "_Wacht am Rhein_" and other folk songs: the _Uhlans_, on
+beautiful prancing horses, with their long lances and gray-blue capes
+fluttering in the wind; _chasseurs_ in light green; "_Hussars de la
+Mort_" with the death's head emblem in the front of their high fur hats
+and endless companies of artillery with their huge field cannon, each
+drawn by six magnificent horses. On the gun carriages sit four gunners
+back to back, still as statues, with arms folded as if on parade. It was
+for all the world like a circus when the procession goes twice around
+the ring before commencing the serious business of the entertainment.
+
+Dinner was gay tonight (one is obliged to make the best of a bad affair)
+and the officers as men of the world were interesting and in unusually
+good spirits.
+
+The Captain, a little facetiously, took up the menu and, drawing a tiny
+note-book and pencil from his pocket, proceeded to copy it in French,
+soliciting Madame X.'s aid _en passant_.
+
+A curious fact occurred to me as I sat there looking down both sides of
+the table, how much alike they were--it seems as if they must even think
+the same thoughts to resemble each other so much. As their heads were
+closely cropped, outlines were baldly apparent, low forehead sloping
+back to a narrow crown and all set upon a bulwark of neck. They must
+surely have been struck in the same mould. Though forceful, none of them
+were good-looking except the young one, of whom I have spoken, and his
+face in repose was shockingly cruel. They are expecting marching orders
+in the morning and are probably eager to ride on to victory (?). They
+bade us good night and good-bye by kissing our hands as usual, a click
+of spurs, a military bow and very gracious thanks to Madame X. for her
+hospitality.
+
+
+
+
+_August 17th, Monday._
+
+
+About half-past three in the morning I was wakened from a sound sleep by
+a commotion in the court under my window. Impatient horses were pawing
+the ground and a voice exactly like a snarling dog was hurling out
+orders--I peeped out cautiously and saw that the snarling dog was the
+amiable captain who copied the menu last night.
+
+The officers left at four A. M. Fort Lancin fell today and
+General Leman, commander-in-chief of the army here, was taken prisoner.
+Thousands of soldiers have passed as usual. In the afternoon a company
+of Prussians arrived, whose captain had mistaken the route, which put
+him in an abominable humor, having made his men march fifty miles out of
+their way and also risking a court-martial on his own account. He
+ordered Monsieur S. to open the garage door, in the hope of lodging his
+men there for the night. Unluckily the chauffeur, being absent, had the
+key, which plunged his Military Highness into a towering rage and he
+placed Monsieur S. at once under arrest between two soldiers,
+_baionnette-au-canon_, while the others battered in the door with the
+butt of their guns. Not finding sufficient quarters for two hundred men,
+he marched Monsieur S. away, as guide, half a mile down the road to a
+neighbor's.
+
+That excitement had hardly quieted down when another batch of officers
+arrived at dusk, demanding lodgings for the night. These men were a
+rough type, altogether different from the preceding ones. About eight
+o'clock as we, the women, were waiting in the library for dinner to be
+announced, we heard a tremendous stamping of heavy boots and spurs and a
+snarl of angry voices just over our heads. Baronne de H., brave little
+woman as she always proved herself to be, flew up the stairs in a flash
+and found her brothers at the end of the hall between two orderlies with
+fixed bayonets, trying to pacify seven officers who were disputing
+angrily and were just about to enter one of the private apartments--in
+fact their father's room. She addressed them in a few vehement words--"I
+forbid you to enter the room of my father, who has been dead only a
+week." Then she added that the other soldiers who had been here were
+gentlemen and that she expected them to be. They were cowed at once and
+all humility, begging pardon properly. They pleaded fatigue for their
+rudeness and said "certainly they expected to be gentlemen, too." Wasn't
+that comical? They were ill at ease and rather sullen at dinner: and
+such a dinner as we had!--glacial does not express it. The captain of
+the band spoke English, French, Russian and German, but he could not
+coax anybody into conversation, for we clung to "_Oui_," or "_Non_," and
+stopped there. More than that, a kind of rigid fascination fixed our
+attention on one of their number--the tallest and lankiest, who sat down
+at least two feet from the table and endeavored to serve himself like
+that. Every mouthful was fraught with tense anxiety (for us). Happily
+they went to bed early, the captain kissing our hands and asking Madame
+X. if she were used to that, it being the custom in Germany.
+
+Hardly had they got under cover and we were alone again, when a hoarse
+cry arose in the court--it was blood-curdling to us, as every sound
+these days is full of terror and possibilities. But it turned out to be
+only the cry of the sentry. There had been promiscuous shooting along
+the railroad in the village and all our brave soldiers tumbled out of
+bed, fell down the stair-case one after the other, buckling on swords as
+they went. It is the greatest wonder to me that we were not all shot on
+the spot when we stood there staring up, as one very young lieutenant
+descended three steps at a time with a revolver in one wobbly hand which
+was shaking like an aspen leaf, and a pair of field glasses in the
+other. I think the sudden excitement may have unnerved him and there is
+no doubt, this time, that the gods favored the innocent. That was the
+last we saw of our guests.
+
+
+
+
+_August 18th, Tuesday._
+
+
+This morning one of them came back for some personal things, principally
+his watch, which, in the true, novel style, could not be found anywhere.
+So the _Herr leutnant_ ordered a thorough search and said, with a grand
+air, to the housekeeper that if it could not be found he would be
+obliged to take one of the servant's as a forfeit. Fancy!
+
+I can see the butler's poor, old, bowed legs, now, flying up the
+stair-case, with a bayonet stuck in his back to expedite matters. I do
+not know if this threat lent an added zest to the search, but
+fortunately someone had the happy thought to look under the mattress
+(where the officer had put it himself) and there was the ill-fated
+timepiece calmly ticking off German minutes. I think I forgot to tell
+you that since the invasion we retire at ten instead of eleven o'clock,
+having been advised to adopt Celtic time.
+
+Prussian troops in khaki continue to pass; will they never cease? One's
+spine shivers at the sight of the endless, green snake which crawls
+along, insinuating its greedy length into the gardens of plenty. This
+morning four new officers came to the chateau; three of them were
+nondescript, but the fourth, to all appearances, was an Englishman, pure
+blood. He spoke English absolutely without accent and had a perfect
+English drawing-room air. It was as funny as an impersonation and as he
+had appeared on the scene alone, I believe his brothers-in-arms were
+almost suspicious of him. After a little the story came out. He is
+really a German, but has lived fifteen years in London. At the debut of
+the war he had been obliged to take up arms against a sea of troubles,
+or relinquish forever his right to go back to Baden, where his parents
+live. Naturally he chose the former (also probably thinking that "War"
+was a word only) and allowed himself to be bored by circumstances. He
+told us some amusing tales of his having been already arrested three
+times for an English spy. Everybody here likes him very much and I
+welcomed him personally as the nearest approach to an Anglo-Saxon that I
+have seen in many months.
+
+Monsieur J. and several of the representative men of the village,
+including _Monsieur le Cure_ (a little, fat, rosy-cheeked man, adored by
+his flock), were taken as hostages for twenty-four hours and had to
+sleep in the railroad station. It was nervously comical to see Monsieur
+J. starting off, his valet following with a mattress on his back and a
+box of sandwiches in his hand against the misery of the night. But it is
+not so amusing to be the victim of even a threat which at any moment may
+take the form of a sudden reality for no reason except to terrorize
+honest people who are defending their homes. The enemy's way of
+punishing and evading future insurrection among the civilians is to take
+people as hostages and shoot them if necessary, or burn the houses.
+This they have already done in several quarters in Liege. A few nights
+ago several students fired on some German officers in a cafe and the
+latters' revenge was instantaneous and terrible; they just stood
+eighteen men up in front of the University and shot them like dogs--then
+burned that section for blocks around.
+
+Austrian artillery was passing today with their great cannon drawn by
+automobiles. The wheels of the gun carriages are enormous and the cannon
+are the biggest things we have yet seen.
+
+
+
+
+_August 19th, Wednesday._
+
+
+Such an odd picking little noise, like a mouse, disturbed us at
+breakfast this A. M. Madame X. opened the door and was astonished to see
+a German soldier unscrewing the telephone from the wall. Her obvious
+surprise moved the man to explain, which was unqualifiedly this--"Madame,
+permit me, but we need your telephone for field service."
+
+I suppose he may as well have it anyway for nothing so modern and useful
+as telephones has existed for us since August 3rd.
+
+A group of very surly officers have "taken over" Madame R.'s chateau
+down in the country. The moment they arrived night before last, the
+Colonel ordered her to bring out all her best wine, throwing her his
+soiled gloves to wash at the same time.
+
+The patients at the Convent are beginning to show a little life now,
+though their poor, black faces are more grotesque than ever as an eye,
+here and there, begins to peep out from a crack in the crusted surface.
+They have begun to talk after a fashion, though their poor, dried lips
+can hardly accomplish the task. Jean, the big fellow who jumped seven
+metres into the ditch from Fort Chaudefontaine when it blew up, died
+this morning, the result of a fractured skull.
+
+French and German aeroplanes alike have been flying over the city,
+dropping the most sensational circulars of the victories of their
+particular armies. But the news is "_trop beau_"--one cannot believe it
+and probably it is only destined to encourage the soldiers. It appears
+that the officers tell their men all kinds of extraordinary tales, to
+give them heart for the fight, and the poor things believe (hearing
+French spoken here) that they are already in France, for yesterday one
+of them in a passing train was heard demanding the Eiffel Tower. An
+officer admitted to Monsieur S. that Germany prints three
+newspapers--one for the officers, one for the soldiers, and one for
+imbeciles. I suppose the latter means us.
+
+
+
+
+_August 22nd, Saturday._
+
+
+Bread is being rationed out now in the village and we are allowed only
+two small pieces at a meal. It seems to me that I never wanted one more
+slice so much in my life. The soldiers have cleared out the baker's
+supply and he cannot get any more flour.
+
+Monsieur S. has bought a bicycle and goes into town every morning to
+find out about things. Sometimes it seems as if we could hardly wait
+until he gets back to lunch for the news. And oh! such terrible things
+are happening. Some funny incidents too, intersperse themselves from
+time to time. During the recounting of some of these awful tales of
+violence and revenge which we are hearing from the little villages the
+young footman's knees doubled right up and nearly let him down while he
+was serving the table and he is getting greener and greener from day to
+day. He becomes absolutely petrified when the officers address him and
+whispers out an unintelligible something as he vanishes through a door.
+
+The horrible carnage at Namur has begun and we already have heard
+sickening accounts of it. The story, as we have had it by word of mouth,
+is that one of the seven forts capitulated (the city was evacuated),
+allowing the enemy to enter in over a tract of land which was literally
+sown with this famous, new _Poudre Turpin_ which exploded under the feet
+of whole regiments at once, and the forts completed the slaughter.
+
+Troops, troops, always troops plodding along. Their attitude could not
+be called determined for there is not enough mental action in it, though
+there does exist an indisputable tenacity which is appalling. How they
+lack that infectious _ardeur_, that splendid _elan_ which characterizes
+every little _poilu_! But they just plod on like a great machine,
+lacking intelligence in its parts, each vital, however, to the
+perfectly-fitted whole.
+
+Madame X. and I felt as if we could not sit still another minute this
+afternoon and, safe, or no, we decided to take a walk on the
+mountainside. We could hear regiments approaching first by a faint
+buzzing in the distance which rounded out into song as it drew near; as
+an officer told us, the men often sing in four voices which is quite
+beautiful. Then, we became aware of a different noise, a sort of loose
+rumble, as if cohesion would presently not exist for the thing, whatever
+it was, that caused this new note. But it was not a note, it was a
+disturbance which grew and grew in proportions. Madame X. and I scurried
+up and down the paths trying to find a vista through the trees that
+would disclose this monster which was moving so protestingly along the
+road.
+
+I imagined it would be snorting flame and its eyes smouldering fires,
+but instead its eyes were neat little windows with tidy curtains, for
+the monster turned out to be three diminutive houses on wheels drawn by
+a huge motor. What their end and purpose might be, is imaginable. If it
+is for the comfort of the High Command _en campagne_, the great clumsy
+procession rivaling the speed of a snail is a heap of trouble for a
+little luxury.
+
+
+
+
+_August 24th, Monday._
+
+
+Namur is taken by the Germans. Practically nothing remains of the city.
+A German major who was brought, wounded, to Liege, said the battle was
+too frightful to narrate. He entered the city with one thousand men and
+left it with sixty-five. Just outside the forts, where he had been
+stationed with two hundred horses, three bombs fell upon them at the
+same moment and only seven of the poor beasts remained. His admiration
+for the pointing and firing of the Belgian and French cannon was
+unlimited.
+
+Just before lunch this morning, two very ragged-looking individuals
+(Belgian civilians) came to the chateau. They were travel-stained
+indeed, just having made the journey on foot from Brussels and in a
+calmer era would have had some success in the role of common ordinary
+tramps. As it was, they excited a little curiosity by the suspicious way
+they had of looking about, and our first thought was spies until one of
+them, edging toward the outside of the group, made Baronne de H.
+understand that he had something to communicate to her. Inquiring if it
+were safe, he suddenly leaned down and drew out from the sole of his
+shoe, a piece of paper on which was written, "A banker of Brussels sends
+greetings--all are well." The little woman burst into a flood of tears
+for she realized that it was a message from her husband, one of the
+_Garde Civique_ of Brussels. During the three, long, anxious weeks of
+devotion to others, I had often remarked and wondered at her courage in
+never mentioning her own longing and apprehension for her husband and
+three little children. Before we had recovered from the first onslaught
+of the army, she must have known, after it left here, that it would
+pass their chateau three kilometres the other side of Brussels and what
+would it leave in its wake? Can you imagine her anxiety, when every day
+we were hearing frightful stories of children having their hands chopped
+off and people's heads being paraded on bayonets? But I never remember
+her uttering a single "I wonder," or an "I wish." Does this not bear out
+what the illustrious Roman said about the "Belgians," which certainly
+did not exclude the women? It is the grandest thing that ever could
+be--this response of the women to the Nation's call, for it is not just
+passive self-sacrifice, but impassioned co-operation.
+
+In the afternoon Madame de H. and I went to Liege to arrange her
+passport for Brussels. Two of the officers who are here offered to go
+with us in order to facilitate an entrance into the "_Kommandantur_,"
+which is the general headquarters and is in that ancient and beautiful
+place of the _Princes-Eveques_, onetime feudal lords of the principality
+of Liege. I wanted to rebel openly when I saw that wonderful court,
+world-famous for its beauty, which has been turned into a depot of
+supplies and barracks with horses stabled under those delicate, Gothic
+arches, models of purity and beauty. But to what good? Will anything
+ever expiate the offense? There are also horses in the theatre and
+machine guns in all the upper windows.
+
+While Madame de H. was waiting to see Count Moltke in his office, I
+walked about the court with one of the soldier attendants who came with
+us and had an opportunity of peeking through many doors which would
+otherwise have been closed to me. My companion, who is a wholesale grain
+merchant in peace times, enjoyed his authority immensely and dragged his
+sword, half unbuckled, on the ground, which clanked behind us and made
+merry music in his ears, I am sure. The whole place was a perfect
+beehive though there was little confusion. The soldiers were diligently
+counting supplies, feeding horses and sorting Belgian cannon and shells
+which had been captured.
+
+On the road from Angleur to Liege we were obliged to give way to some
+troops which were returning from Namur. The auto stopped right in the
+middle of a column, which, as we heard, was a conglomeration of the tag
+ends of different regiments and I was almost afraid--the men peered in
+at us so maliciously. I have never seen such a frightening spectacle of
+humanity, for it was the personification of a rogues' gallery with every
+kind of cut-throat, brigand and robber mixed up into a grand ensemble,
+toiling and perspiring, limping and crawling along in the dust and heat.
+
+Does battle blot out the soul of a man in one savage conflict?
+Obviously, it is before a weary march that one finds exalted faces. But
+perhaps they were not desperadoes--only tired and dirty and unshaven.
+
+It is said, however, that when war was declared, the enemy opened the
+doors of all the prisons and that the front ranks of the attacking
+forces (which were sure to be lost) were entirely composed of convicts
+and prisoners. And also, the officers in the regular army are so hated
+by their men that when they started out to conquer the world every
+officer was changed to a different regiment.
+
+This evening we sat on the terrace enjoying the afterglow of the setting
+sun and the calmness of the garden, listening to the soldiers singing in
+the orchard, next. This singing in the twilight is heartbreaking and
+particularly melancholy, as the music is slow and has more consolation
+in it than the usual soul-inspiring quality of battle hymns. At
+intervals we heard the captain speaking with great force and enthusiasm,
+the hurrahs of the men, an occasional "_Vaterland, Vaterland_," and
+again and ever, "_Die Wacht am Rhein._"
+
+
+
+
+_August 26th, Wednesday._
+
+
+Two new officers (not Prussians) of the _Landstuerm_ arrived this
+morning--men of fifty to fifty-five years of age. One is a hardware
+merchant _en civil_ and has a brown beard and the asthma; the other is a
+lawyer, with big, blinking eyes--and they both looked as if they hated
+war. The "Englishman" is still here--his department is looking after
+supplies at the depot. He has borrowed all the English books in the
+house and sits reading all day up in the signal box at the station, so
+the family have named him "_Monsieur Seegnal Box_," which, with a tiny,
+French accent, sounds quite attractive.
+
+We are so enthusiastic about our patients at the Convent, for they are
+all improving and developing personalities now. Every morning at
+eight-thirty we rush over there as quickly as we can to see how the poor
+children are getting on and who has another eye open. Nature has begun
+her restorative work and oh! what a satisfaction it is to see the new
+skin stretching out tiny shreds to bridge over the martyred flesh.
+
+The atmosphere of the ward is gay. 'Most everybody can laugh, at least
+with their hearts, for stiffened lips do not all respond yet. The work
+has arranged itself in admirable routine, where humanity is not entirely
+swallowed up in duty. There are young girls and boys who fetch basins
+of water, old women who roll bandages, faithful, sweet-faced matrons who
+bind up dreadful wounds, and strong, young men who lift, so tenderly,
+pain-racked bodies and who can toss a joke or a word of encouragement
+with equal discretion, which never fails to infuse the down-hearted with
+their own priceless vitality. Then there is the _Mere Superieure_, of
+thin, aesthetic face, who comes with a gentle word of the "Faith" for
+each one; the austere _Soeur Felicite_, who counts the cups and searches
+your soul and brings in hot coffee and a steaming ragout; and the
+pretty, young _Soeur Monique_, with her uplifted face, who cannot
+conceal a shy admiration for big, blond Henri who rails at everything
+and is as lovable as a baby. Then the villagers: in the middle of the
+room, Monsieur B. (Secretary and Treasurer, I should say) cuts off gauze
+with a calculating eye at one end of a long table and at the other,
+rosy-cheeked Monsieur R. (painter of every house and barn in the
+village) stands all day long with a spatula in his hand and slaps on the
+ointment for dressings. There is a sort of professional twist in the
+gesture and his merry, little eyes glance around, not seeking but rather
+gathering in approval, and from under his bristling, white moustache
+will burst a salute for one, a joke for another, or a reproach for
+another.
+
+Here, there and everywhere he is needed, is Monsieur F., whose great,
+dark eyes are acquainted with pain; he is a frail, little person and the
+substantial man of the village, a living paradox. Just when Monsieur R.
+announces--dramatically waving his spatula--that that is the last ounce
+of boric ointment and no more peroxide in the cupboard and we are raving
+around and denouncing the pharmacist, Monsieur F. steps up and inquires
+what the trouble is, knowing full well the difficulty and also "his
+moment," wise man that he is. While we are swamping the situation with
+words, he quietly dispatches a boy to his house, who quickly reappears
+with huge bottles of this and that. Oh, blessed Monsieur F., who long
+since had made a corner in peroxide and everything else we shall need
+until after the war. But the despair of the moment, the heat and three,
+long hours of unremitting "dressings" effect a faintness of soul and a
+"queer" feeling we did not realize was there, until that dear, roly-poly
+_Soeur Anastasie_ appears with a bottle of red wine, half concealed
+under her cape, and with a motherly, "_Ca vous fera du bien_," (that
+will do you good) pours us out a generous glassful. That puts the blue
+in the sky again and keeps the shafts of golden sunshine from creating
+zigzag patterns in our brain. Oh, Shades of my New England Ancestors!
+Would you say, "Better to slip down in a swoon?"--and give everybody a
+lot of trouble--
+
+
+
+
+_August 27th, Thursday._
+
+
+Madame de H. and I again went to Liege early this morning about her
+passports. The hotels and cafes were just seething humanity, beds
+improvised in every corner, and I saw officers paying their hotel bills
+with cheques and notes. The poor proprietor blinked and swallowed hard
+for a moment and said nothing. The city was literally packed with troops
+going in all directions. _Uhlans_, _chasseurs_, artillery and the
+infantry, singing and executing that foolish-looking goose-step--it
+probably has its advantages, but at eight A. M. in the pouring
+rain it did appear ridiculous.
+
+In the afternoon we took a walk into the country, following the
+railroad. The soldiers were working everywhere, putting up temporary
+buildings for any emergency. We saw one of those open dining halls--only
+three walls with a shed roof where a regiment can step out of a train to
+eat while another jumps quickly in and no time lost. We passed the
+lovely chateau of the Marquis de T. who is Minister Plenipotentiary
+from Costa Rica. Of course, this is neutral property and flies a
+neutral flag, but the place is filled with officers and, according to
+the _maitre d'hotel_, the wine cellar is undergoing a thorough
+inventory.
+
+
+
+
+_August 28th, Friday._
+
+
+This morning there was excitement at the Convent; someone was reading a
+three weeks' old journal to the soldiers and for a moment everybody
+forgot his particular aches and black heads lifted themselves from their
+pillows and gaunt forms swayed to and fro on shaky elbows. The lust of
+battle lit up wooden countenances, fire sprang from eyes yet heavily
+veiled by crusted lids and a fervent "_bien fait_" or "_vivent les
+Belges_," trembled from heretofore silent corners.
+
+Madame Andre, who comes to see her boy every day, remarked my looking at
+her dress which was all darned and mended in the most unaccountable
+places, "O, Mademoiselle," she said. "I suppose you are wondering about
+my waist? But wasn't it lucky I was here with Andre when the troops
+passed through our village? The soldiers fired haphazard in the windows
+and the wardrobe in which my clothes were hanging caught seven bullets
+and the headboard of my bed, four."
+
+All the afternoon troops were coming back from Namur in evident haste
+and apparent rout, for they had such a tired, bedraggled look. About
+five o'clock a company with ammunition wagons, Red Cross ambulances and
+baggage trucks dashed madly into the orchard among the apple trees,
+nearly wrecking themselves and everything else. Immediately after, three
+officers came to the house to beg lodging for the night. They were
+frightful-looking individuals covered with mud and dirt, with half-grown
+beards and one could not tell what uniforms. They asked the most humble
+apartment--a corner, the floor--anything, "and, Madame, a little hot
+water, _s'il vous plait_." We were sitting on the terrace tonight just
+before dinner when down came the three new arrivals, beautiful as the
+morning, shaven and shining in their gray-green uniforms, polished boots
+and bracelets set with precious stones--officers of the "Emperor's Own,"
+though these men did not seem like Germans, but were much more the
+lighter build and elegant type of the Austrians.
+
+They were a bit haughty at first, but dinner thawed them out and then
+what tales they told us; the most promising imagination could not rival
+their flights in the air. They acted like people who walk in their sleep
+and had that same vague expression of the eye. But it is not to be
+wondered at, coming as they did from a frightful battlefield and
+fatigued by a hard march. It must be true that battle intoxicates men
+for these latter, being of a sensible age, did say very ridiculous
+things. Hitherto the officers who have been here were fairly modest
+though always showing an undeniable confidence, while these three openly
+bragged. The young lieutenant who sat next to me spoke French fluently
+and never stopped talking all the evening. Among countless other things,
+he said, "We are being sent back from Namur as Paris is taken"
+(ejaculation from me "I cannot believe it") "and they have no more need
+of us in that direction," he went on without turning a hair. "So we are
+_en route_ for England or Russia, in the morning, to conquer the seven
+nations (he included Monaco in the list) who have declared war against
+our beloved Vaterland."
+
+"And, Mademoiselle," he continued, "they fired on our ambulances!"
+
+"Ah?" I answered, nonchalantly, "the Germans have already done that
+here."
+
+He was a bit taken aback at this rejoinder; then with a prodigiously
+sorrowful look he exclaimed in a hushed voice, "_Oui, la guerre est
+terrible._"
+
+The victories they exploited on land and sea were fantastic and the
+funny part is, they believed thoroughly all they said. It is strange to
+hear serious people fabricate such yarns as they did, with as much
+dexterity as a spider spins its web.
+
+
+
+
+_August 29th, Saturday._
+
+
+The ambulance was as busy as a beehive this A. M. Except for
+one or two, the patients are all feeling better. Andre, the third on the
+left, whose sonorous "_Merci, chere Soeur_" nearly frightened me to
+pieces one day, seems to be the wit and authority on all subjects--a
+real leader, I should say, and _drole_! Augustin, four beds from him, is
+our difficult child, the only one of the twenty-nine who is spoiled and
+fights his dressings, but we must be patient with him for he has been
+very sick and that drawn look about the nose and a certain, startled
+expression of the eyes, worry me. But the little _Soeur Victoire_ says
+comfortingly that he will soon be well, though he does not wish to eat
+and his jaws are a little stiff. O, _chere Soeur_, in your sweet faith,
+are stiffened jaws such a trivial circumstance?
+
+Next Augustin is Sylvestre, _le beau_. He was the splendid _pointeur_ of
+Fort Chaudefontaine and was the least burned of the men; that is why I
+know he is beautiful; also I catch many glimpses of him in the little
+mirror in which he is constantly regarding himself, but he is _bon
+garcon_, nevertheless--his honest blue eyes attest it.
+
+At the end of the row is the big Flamand, who was always two feet too
+long for his bed. He is sitting up now and that great, black head, with
+features swollen three times their normal size, is a sight to frighten
+the boldest. If he should roar at me I would drop everything and flee.
+But he doesn't; nobody roars; for they are all the finest gentlemen in
+the world, even in their trying moments.
+
+At ten o'clock this evening, right out of the silence, issued sounds of
+heavy, rolling carts, and horses' hoofs. Madame de H. and I stole out
+into the court to see what it might be and, almost as if by magic, whole
+regiments came pouring along in the greatest haste and disorder. A wing
+of the servants' quarters hid the approach of the soldiers from us and
+the strange, non-resonant quality of the atmosphere tonight deceived us
+as to their nearness. In a moment they were upon us--not three feet
+away, for some of the troops had taken, not the usual highroad two
+hundred feet distant, but a short cut by the narrow path which directly
+passes the court yard. Happily we had hidden ourselves behind the
+grille, in the foliage, or we might have been shot without ceremony, as
+by order of the military governor of the city "every civilian shall be
+indoors and lights out at eight P. M."
+
+We enjoyed the danger a little at first because we did not realize it;
+all the same we obliterated ourselves as much as possible, though hardly
+daring to move or breathe. Not an arm's length away, their nearness
+oppressed us and the waves of heat which reeked from their toiling
+bodies sickened us. But there we crouched in our light dresses, easily
+seen if one had chanced to look, and separated only by an iron fence
+with sparse, fluttering vines from a mass of tired, quarrelsome,
+desperate men. Why! any of them might have run us through in a flash as
+one would lunge at a white rag for the amusement of his companions.
+Indoors the family were frantic, not daring to open a crack of the door
+for fear of violent consequences to us.
+
+The night was full of dull noises; even the clanking chains of the gun
+carriages seemed muffled and the thud of horses' hoofs in the mud added
+to the air of secrecy which pervaded the scene, while the moonlight
+threw out shadows and drew crazy perspectives and showed up silhouettes
+of men positively falling from their seats with fatigue. Some one was
+twirling a French soldier's cap on a bayonet, we heard smothered yawns,
+the words "_Russland_," "_Vaterland_," and finally the infantry
+whistling in unison as they limped along.
+
+
+
+
+_August 30th, Sunday._
+
+
+At two o'clock in the morning the whole family was aroused by a
+thundering rap from the butt of a gun on the big front entrance. The
+poor old butler, who has been in service thirty-five years, was aghast
+to open the door and find the Burgomaster, in white kid gloves, standing
+between two Prussian soldiers, with fixed bayonets. They demanded
+Monsieur J. (for the second time) as hostage. What could have happened
+among the people, we could only guess. Had they been rash enough to
+protest against strength and did they want to share the fate of the
+pitiful Vise?
+
+The forenoon brought us no news; after lunch we walked in the broiling
+sun to the little railroad station at Kinklepois, to see Monsieur J.
+(he had aged ten years over night) where he was under guard with several
+others, including _Monsieur le Vicaire_ of A. and _Monsieur l'Abbe_ of
+K. We sat around the table in the Concierge's tiny dining room and
+listened to some amusing anecdotes told by the Vicar, while the gentle
+old Abbot sent out to the vicarage for a bottle of his good old
+Burgundy. To be sure, no one was much in the mood to be amused, but it
+lessened the tension of the moment; the least unusual sound from the
+street--and it was full of soldiers and horses--brought the tale to a
+sudden end and we listened with blanched faces for perhaps--the worst.
+
+
+
+
+_August 31st, Monday._
+
+
+Monsieur J. was released as hostage at seven o'clock P. M. and
+returned to the fold. This evening, as all was still, we played a little
+game of Bridge, as in the old days when life was a pleasant dream.
+Suddenly a dozen rifle shots, in quick succession, rang out in the air
+and the cards fell from our nerveless fingers as a stray ball rattled
+against the iron shutters of our windows. Instinctively we crouched into
+sheltered corners and waited; another volley and another followed, until
+finally Monsieur S. whispered in a hoarse voice, "A la cave." The
+household, including the servants, delighted to be any place where we
+were not, made a lightning dash, Indian file, for the cellar. Quite
+unperturbed and loath to leave her cozy, warm kitchen, the old, fat cook
+was the last to waddle down the stairs, repeating her usual "They cannot
+hurt me. I am Dutch." She was the calmest of us all, for those
+intermittent shots and the possibility of retrieving lost balls had
+raised a tremor of excitement as well as our hasty descent into the
+realms of Bacchus, in common words--the wine cellar. By the thin rays of
+a candle the scene was comic; there we were, fourteen of us huddled
+together in a twelve by twenty foot vault, earthen floor and stone
+walls. Expecting at any moment an onslaught of we did not know what,
+each one was bracing himself for the blow, in different attitudes of
+mind and body. Madame X. was pale, her daughter stolid and ready for the
+defensive--the true, fighting blood of the Belgians on fire: the old
+butler, attentive to the slightest sound, was shaking his gray head with
+ominous pessimism and one of the maids was weeping hysterically and
+audibly in the arms of her husband, the young footman. At first we just
+stood and looked at each other as periodic volleys resounded now and
+again. Then we relaxed as well as we could on dusty cases and rounding
+barrels or whatever was at hand. An hour passed before the shooting
+ceased and then we discovered that we were cramped and uncomfortable and
+cold--chilled through with that deathlike dampness which pervades
+subterranean chambers. What misery for those who had to live in them for
+days! Another hour elapsed before the danger was really over and we
+dared to come out from cover; then we crawled upstairs to bed on our
+hands and knees to keep below the level of the window ledges.[2]
+
+Madame de H. made an attempt to go to Brussels by a military train
+which, however, was derailed ten kilometres from here. Some disagreeable
+officers took the second automobile for military service, in spite of
+the signed permission which Count Moltke has given the family. Did I
+tell you that Madame X.'s children are related by marriage to a high
+official of the Imperial Court? I do not know at all if this fact
+accounts for the extreme courtesy which they have always received from
+the soldiers, but at any rate some of their friends have not been so
+favored.[3]
+
+Madame T., who had a charming Villa at S., was one of the unfortunate
+ones. She was obliged to entertain the officers of some passing troops
+at lunch recently, after which they had coffee in the garden. The
+Captain glanced around at the flowers and said, "Madame, very pretty,
+very pretty, tomorrow, nothing." That night her villa and several other
+neighboring ones were burned to the ground.
+
+The Germans are constantly forcing the Belgian old men, women and
+children to march in front of their attacking armies. What kind of
+soldiers can it be that does these things, but brutes and barbarians?
+
+My revulsion for it all is so great that the words fairly scorch my
+fingers as I write them.
+
+FOOTNOTE:
+
+[2] We never heard what really started the commotion, whether it was
+premeditated or accidental, but this illustrates what a furor a rifle
+shot creates instantly. The nervous tension of both the invader and
+invaded is tremendous.
+
+
+
+
+_September 2nd, Wednesday._
+
+
+Very early this morning we were awakened by the most remarkable sound--a
+co-operative noise I should call it, or anything you like, being a
+combination of steamboat, train of cars and sawmill. Looking out of the
+window we saw a magnificent Zeppelin sailing along in all its majestic
+wonder.
+
+Miracles happen overnight in the ambulance now, for Health is hastening
+back in seven-league-boots and every one of our brave _blesses_ is
+turning out to be handsome. Each day a real face emerges from its black
+chrysalis and we find it beautiful. The refinery was of the cruelest
+type, but the temper of such men stood the test and their souls shine
+out undeniably over the scarred flesh.
+
+Some new companies, with their under officers, have taken up quarters in
+the stables and garage. For the last ten days we have had Prussians
+there, who were discontented with everything and wanted all the kitchen
+utensils and everything within reach, but these new men are Bavarian
+_Landstuerm_, rather nice old things, who have brought all their own
+contrivances, not the least among them being one of the famous rolling
+kitchens. This latter is a round boiler, hung on four wheels, and is
+about a metre in diameter and a metre in depth. It is divided into three
+longitudinal compartments (the fire being underneath), one for soup, one
+for meat and one for vegetables. Then, under the driver's seat or
+perhaps not right under, is a tiny oven where are baked _kuchen_ or a
+steaming pudding. It is a complete affair and when dinner is ready,
+they just hitch on a pair of family horses and drive around to the
+different companies where rations are dished out, literally. I do not
+know if the position of cook is the most enviable one in the army, but
+at any rate this chef appears to enjoy it and is content to sit in the
+courtyard all day, peeling potatoes and onions and cabbages and cabbages
+and onions and potatoes.
+
+FOOTNOTE:
+
+[3] A printed document was exposed afterwards in the village
+recommending the Chateau X. to be respected.
+
+
+
+
+_September 3rd, Thursday._
+
+
+"_Monsieur Seegnal Box_" went this morning and everybody was sorry to
+see him go, for he was a congenial spirit, and, like us, found nothing
+attractive about war. He seemed a protection, too, from the beast that
+is ever snarling at the door.
+
+A young cousin of the family related to us to-day how much at home the
+soldiers have felt in his chateau in the country; so much so, in fact,
+that they have already sent off to Germany all his old family portraits
+and the best rugs. Here is a bit of psychology for you to unravel. Why
+should they want his family portraits?
+
+I suppose you could not imagine such a thing happening in America. Well,
+just try for a moment.
+
+Fancy somebody's coming in and explaining to you that you cannot use
+your own things and that your choice possessions will have a far better
+setting in Germany than where they are. I think it would do the world a
+lot of good if everyone tried such a mental drill for three minutes a
+day.
+
+A great depression hung over the Convent to-day--the men were quiet,
+showing their consideration for the "_camarade_" as they always do.
+Constant, who received internal injuries at Fort d'Embourg, is dying and
+Augustin is worse. The latter's face has a gray-blue look and his poor
+jaws are very stiff. But there is hope! Oh, yes, there is Hope in big
+Jean's smile across the ward, as he follows us around with his great,
+black eyes. One can find lots of sympathy in a "_Oui, Mademoiselle_," or
+a "_Non, Mademoiselle_," (which is all he ever says) even when it has
+nothing to do with the question.
+
+Since the commandant has taken the auto we no longer go out. It is much
+too complicated anyway, as one has to show a passport at every bridge
+and corner. Every acre of land is infested with soldiers. It is
+interesting, however, to see what they do and how they turn everything
+to some use. Men are sent from Germany to repair railroads, build
+bridges, put up telephones, institute food stations and to kill pigs and
+wash the meat in porcelain bath tubs as we saw them do yesterday,
+outside a free bath establishment near one of the factories. As we were
+looking down on the road tonight, from a hill perhaps two hundred yards
+away, we saw distinctly a column of soldiers in dark blue uniforms,
+marching across country, and just behind them the ground seemed to
+writhe and wriggle in a distressing manner. For a moment we could not
+imagine what was happening, when soon a company of men in khaki began to
+evolve itself from the landscape. Does that not prove the inestimable
+value of earth-colored clothes? For as close as they were to us, we
+could distinguish nothing.
+
+This gray-green which the Germans wear is by far the best tone of khaki
+that I have yet seen.
+
+Soldiers are stripping the factories here of their fine machinery, but
+one sort of chuckles in one's boots when he remembers that it was
+originally bought in Germany and has not been paid for yet.
+
+All day long, trains without ceasing were bringing back the wounded. We
+do not know exactly where the fighting is, but probably near Charleroi.
+A Baron de C. and his wife arrived here at ten P. M. from
+Posen, one of the German provinces already taken by the Russians. Crazed
+with anxiety, they are going in search of their son, who was wounded at
+Namur, and have been three days in a military train--an excruciating
+journey! At midnight, the soldiers and the _chef de cuisine_, who has
+had his kitchen in the court, departed. Before going they sang softly
+some of their songs and then the wagons, one by one, filed out of the
+moonlight and were swallowed up in the shadows of the trees. I felt as
+if the candle had been blown out for them.
+
+
+
+
+_September 4th, Friday._
+
+
+Monsieur J. came home today with bad news, though every day has its bad
+news. His cousin Robert had been killed near Gand. The old butler's eyes
+were sweet to see when Madame X. turned at table and said to him,
+"Francois, Monsieur Robert is dead." This man of one syllable, according
+to his custom, answered simply, quick tears visible, "_Oui, Madame_"
+with that gentle upward intonation which says so much.
+
+The longest sentence he probably ever constructed was uttered
+thirty-five years ago when his young master had wished to dismiss him
+for some reason and he had answered, "Oh no, Monsieur, we could not
+live, either one of us without the other," which settled the question
+for all time. And now the master is laid to rest and the servant must
+serve the enemy in his house.
+
+We took a little walk in the woods, this afternoon--as the coast was
+clear and no strangers in the house for the first time in three weeks.
+We had hardly finished a short promenade when we heard a violent
+clanging on the gong to call us back, and when we returned in all haste
+to the house found seven soldiers in the library going through all the
+drawers and closets in search of firearms. Commencing there, they
+searched the whole house from top to bottom, even fumbling in the
+bureaus among the dainty lingerie of Madame X. Some of them took an
+obvious pleasure in performing their duty, while others looked
+uncomfortable and bored. It is true that many of the men hate this war,
+whereby whole families of brothers and cousins have to leave their homes
+to fight what they call the "Aristocrats' War," who in their arrogance
+think to be masters of the whole world.
+
+Some newspapers, two weeks old, were brought from Brussels in the
+evening and we pounced upon them as a starved dog makes for a bone.
+
+
+
+
+_September 5th, Saturday._ (At the ambulance.)
+
+
+"_Constant, le pauvre Constant!_ What is in your tortured soul, these
+three long days and nights, that chains it to earth and tosses your
+poor body from one troubled thought to another?"
+
+I did not think to have my question answered. At eleven o'clock this
+morning a child of twelve years, beautiful as an angel with heavenly
+blue eyes and a shock of golden hair, dashed breathlessly into the
+courtyard of the Convent, almost too exhausted to ask if _Soldat_
+Constant Martin, by any chance, were there. The gentle _Soeur Cecile_
+led him in to the sick man's cot. The boy gazed a moment, bewildered at
+the wasted form upon it; then with an agonizing cry of "_mon pere_" fell
+on his knees by the bedside. The man's eyelids trembled, half opened an
+instant to look upon his son, and closed. In ten minutes he was at
+peace.
+
+Since the railroad has been reconstructed the soldiers have been passing
+in trains instead of on foot. Today we saw hundreds of older men,
+Bavarians and sailors--it looks as if something had miscarried when the
+marines have to fight on land. In the opposite direction, thousands of
+wounded were going back in ambulance cars. These ambulance trains are
+admirable and are often made up of forty and fifty carriages of the
+light, swinging, old-fashioned type, of uniform size, the roofs painted
+white, with a big, red cross on the top and one on each side. The cots
+are arranged one above the other, showing clean, white linen, while the
+attendants are spotlessly uniformed in white. In the middle of each
+train is a car which might be called the "ugly duckling," for it is a
+decidedly clumsy looking affair, full of steam boilers with safety
+valves and tubes sticking out at the top, and is, I fancy, a sterilizing
+plant.
+
+
+
+
+_September 6th, Sunday._
+
+
+Oh, the peace of Sunday in a little village! And Augustin is better,
+though he still fights his dressings. It takes the combined effort of
+the ward to present duty in such an attractive guise that he will not
+realize he is minding, but it is really the sympathetic Roger who can
+insinuate comforting comparisons from his own recent acquaintance with
+pain and the ever-ready Pierre, who with a "courage, camarade," and one
+free hand to help me, actually put the thing through.
+
+On my way home to lunch I glanced at the clock in the church tower and
+saw that it was an hour ahead of time, having been made to coincide with
+Teuton pendulums. This is the second time that it has happened, for the
+villagers dared to climb up the long stairs and put it back, once, but
+the soldiers were so ferocious in their threats that--well, one must
+accept their insolence. Crossing the field I passed the farmer who must
+have felt considerable perturbation of soul this particular day, for he
+looked "worrited" and was mowing grass for his poor, thin cows, in a
+blue gingham smock and a bowler hat. The war is not more vital to anyone
+on earth than to him, for the soldiers have taken away his wagons and
+most of his hay for their bedding and they ruined the grass in the
+orchard where they were encamped.
+
+Soldiers came to the Convent this morning to search for firearms. It
+appears that the German military authorities are terrified of an
+uprising among the inhabitants, particularly the factory hands, who will
+not work for the Prussians and are getting a little restless. One can
+readily imagine such an apprehension when from a population of 40,000
+working men in the vicinity, only forty-two firearms were presented upon
+requisition. If all the rest are buried in the woods, as many believe,
+it will only be the story of another inspired "Cadmus, who sowed
+dragons' teeth and there sprang up an army of armed men."
+
+Madame de H. has left for Brussels. The third auto which was hidden away
+was brought out and with Count Moltke's _laisser-passer_ and the
+family's chauffeur, she will arrive safely, we hope, though we shall not
+rest until the man gets back.
+
+In Liege this afternoon, in front of the University, we saw squares and
+squares which were burned out by the Germans, and also where those
+eighteen civilians were shot, following a slight uprising of the people.
+Madame X.'s niece, who lives quite near there, heard the screams of the
+women, and such scenes of terror seem even yet to paralyze the
+population. In the Place de la Cathedrale we saw soldiers pushing people
+along with their saw-toothed bayonets to disperse a crowd which was
+gaping, stupefied, at some unusual proceeding.
+
+As we stood there, an automobile, with eight Prussian officers in it,
+came banging down the street, loose bolts jingling, and was just
+disappearing around a corner when Madame R. exclaimed "Oh, that's our
+Reynaud!"
+
+All the automobiles, as well as everything else, have been confiscated
+by the invaders and it is a common occurrence to look up and see one's
+own beautiful car bounding along over cobblestones and breaking with its
+load of soldiers--the motors are driven so hard that in two weeks' time
+they are practically worthless.
+
+At the beginning of the war, many owners cunningly removed a tiny
+necessary part of their machines, but in most cases the same owners were
+given just two hours at the point of the bayonet to find those missing
+parts, which was not always easy. And the farmers, too, who cut down the
+big trees across the roads to impede the enemy's advance, had just the
+same amount of time given them to clear the path again. So you see that
+one is helpless.
+
+Rumors come from France that the fortified town of Mauberge still
+resists, but that the Germans are at Compiegne, which is so near to
+beautiful Paris. It is impossible to believe. Yet we all experienced a
+feeling of absolute faintness when that report came, for Compiegne, or
+anywhere within one hundred kilometres of it, is too near. But if--_Bon
+Dieu_, keep us from thinking!
+
+
+
+
+_September 8th, Tuesday._
+
+
+There is a possibility of our going to Brussels. Oh, the joy of it! That
+may find me the means, through the American Ambassador, of getting back
+to my beloved France.
+
+The youngest gardener, the little one, Charles, who is only eighteen
+years old, has left for "the front." Not with his regiment, for he
+hasn't one (this year was to have been his class), but as a private
+individual who could not stay at home when his country needed him. His
+old mother, with a little catch in her throat, sent him off proudly, her
+baby, her _petit Charles_, to serve with his four brothers, already
+gone.
+
+But how can he get away with the eye of the arrogant usurper on every
+corner and road?
+
+A Belgian soldier will play his role after his own interpretation.
+Instead of going off in his best smock and a tiny bundle on a stick, _le
+petit Charles_ bade us a smiling _au revoir_ in his old blue apron and
+torn hat. He will wander aimlessly over the hills which he knows so well
+and, unsuspected, will creep through the friendly hedges into the very
+arms of hospitable Holland and then, "All's well."
+
+Trains were passing all day loaded with provisions, as well as soldiers
+and sailors who were sticking on like caterpillars all over the roofs,
+the sides, the steps and almost the wheels. I saw two of them dancing
+the tango on the top of one carriage. Then came car after car of prairie
+wagons, we call them, with voluminous, white, canvas hoods, loaded with
+provisions; after these, countless, giant cannon decorated with
+branches, flowers and flags, mounted on open trucks without sides. All
+this procession was a weird phenomenon gliding by in the sky like a
+mirage, for the road-bed at the rear of the chateau is very high and is
+hidden by intervening shrubs and bushes so that the wheels of the cars
+are quite concealed. It reminded me of those Amazon warriors in "_Die
+Walkuere_" who slid up to Heaven so smoothly on their wooden horses at
+the Opera in Paris.
+
+Dropping from the poetical plane to common cause and effect, the whole
+gave the impression of being well lubricated--like the wheels of Destiny
+which turn steadily on with few jerks or hitches.
+
+
+
+
+_September 9th, Wednesday._
+
+
+The word is said. We are packing our bags to leave for Brussels
+tomorrow. When I went to the Convent this morning, I found all the
+soldiers in bed and looking so wretched. Merciful Heaven! What blight
+could have fallen on our children over night? But it was a farce. They
+had heard that the officers of the regiment, here, were coming to
+inspect the wounded with the idea of sending those who are well enough
+on to Germany as, of course, they are prisoners. So the moment the
+Germans entered the courtyard, all the _blesses_--even those who are
+quite well--hopped into bed with their clothes on, pulled the covers up
+to their chins and with a wet compress on their heads, looked as ill as
+possible. It was comical to see; one can be a soldier and comedian at
+the same time--and even the dear Sisters enjoyed it. But I was paralyzed
+with fear. They had not thought of another side of the question to which
+the very impudence of their ruse might subject them.
+
+I was very sad to say good-bye to these brave fellows who have been to
+all the world such a lesson in bravery and patience during their
+suffering. One big, lanky _garcon_--Jean, in fact--was quite undone at
+our departure. He refused to be consoled with the promise of postal
+cards in some future era and wept and sobbed, but I managed to
+understand between the sobs that he was saying, "_Mais, Mademoiselle, je
+vous suis habitue._" (But, Mademoiselle, I am used to you.) I do not
+know if this was meant for a compliment, but I took it as such and wept
+too.
+
+
+
+
+_September 10th, Thursday._
+
+
+This morning was spent in finishing packing, which usually is the
+biggest part of it, I find.
+
+There appears to be violent fighting at Malines, Louvain and Tirlemont.
+Nevertheless we are setting out from the chateau, at two o'clock, bag
+and baggage. Everybody felt sorry to leave the servants (_Liegeois_)
+who have been staunch and comforting friends through all the misery of
+these terrifying times. Will an eager Fate close them in? Let us hope
+they will absorb the effervescent optimism of the fat old cook who
+continually reiterates in her awful French, "They cannot hurt me. I am a
+Hollander."
+
+2 P. M.--Well, off we started. It was a moment I shall never
+forget, for it was as if we had taken up something solid and heavy (an
+experience, for example) in our two hands and put it behind us. There
+were in the party our two autos and Monsieur H. with Signor K., an
+Italian consul, in his. Monsieur H. has a passport from the military
+Governor, Field Marshal von der Golz, to go anywhere in Belgium, so we
+felt very safe to be with him. No ancient stage-coach with a dozen
+passengers on the top could have made as precarious a flight as our
+machines, packed and jammed full inside and crowned on the roof with an
+overhanging cornice of every sort of bundle. You can imagine that there
+was an idea at the back of our minds of never returning, perhaps, or of
+keeping what we could in immediate possession.
+
+It was interesting in leaving the city to see the disposition of troops;
+we passed through Seraing, where are those tremendous Cockerill
+factories, and soon arrived opposite the famous Fort Hollogne which did
+such wonderful work in the defense of Liege, August 5th. At present it
+flies the German flag and but for one or two sentinels pacing near, one
+would never dream that a tremendous fort was there. Like the others, it
+is built three stories underground, with just a slight rising of earth
+defining the cupolas. Along the road on both sides, for miles and miles,
+lay splendid trees which were cut down for cannon range. Just before
+arriving at Jauche we met three automobiles with Prussian officers, who
+shouted "_Nicht weiter_" and made violent signs which we did not
+understand. But why "_nicht weiter_" with the _Herr Feld Marschall's_
+permission in our pocket? We soon learned at the railroad crossing. An
+hour before there had been an alarm and the station had received orders
+to allow no one to pass, as there was fighting not far beyond in the
+direction of Tirlemont. Then and there arose a mighty discussion and the
+_esprits_ of many nations (Belgian, Italian, Russian, French and German)
+entered into the argument while one meek American looked on at the
+sparring. Even the little slip of paper ladened with the name of von der
+Golz in much ink, had no weight. Then we tried another route, that lay
+right through the heart of a dirty, squalid, little village to
+Ramillies, the same Ramillies of Louis XIV.'s time, famous in the
+"_Batailles des Flandres_." We arrived there by a sudden turn of the
+road which brought us up standing, onto a bridge spanning the railroad.
+Below, perhaps two hundred feet distant, was the station, out of which,
+upon our sudden apparition, swarmed a hundred soldiers in alarm, quite
+as if the surprising toe of a boot had inadvertently kicked over an ant
+hill. At Ramillies we were not more successful than at Jauche, for as
+the officials explained, if we passed the railroad station we were in
+danger of being caught between two battlelines. So, sadly indeed, we
+retraced our way and returned in the dark and the pouring rain to a
+dismantled house and forlorn hopes.
+
+
+
+
+_September 12th, Saturday._
+
+
+We are in the depths of despair today for we hear that they are fighting
+at Meaux--Meaux, which nearly is Paris. If I were a French woman I could
+not feel more poignantly about it. But we always think that it is not
+true, as we have no real means of knowing--all is hearsay.
+
+A messenger brought news from Monsieur N., "Uncle Maurice," in the
+Ardennes. It appears that in August when the German troops went through
+Belgium on foot, the regiment of Count Otto von M. passed his villa.
+Count Otto is "Uncle M's" nephew--the son of his sister, who married a
+"high official of the Imperial Court," of whom I have already spoken. So
+it happened that the young officer went to call on his esteemed uncle,
+who frankly shut the door in his face. The Count burst into tears and
+cried, "Uncle, Uncle, won't you speak to me? It is not my fault. When my
+brothers and I received orders to come through Belgium, we begged other
+commissions but to no avail."
+
+Certainly not! who better than the Counts von M. who have hunted from
+childhood, thro' every lane and secret path, to lead the armies thro'
+Belgium.
+
+Trains are passing with every known thing therein--first thousands of
+soldiers, then wagons of provisions, cannon, boats for pontoon bridges
+mounted on wheels ready for unloading, material for building, trucks of
+hay, portable houses and in one car were hundreds of tiny wheels
+sticking up which we discovered belonged to wheelbarrows. It is a droll
+procession, that never ceases before one's eyes. To offset it, we have
+taken to playing Patience morning, noon and night, and if this monotony
+keeps up much longer we shall certainly become imbeciles. From time to
+time, in the trains going back to Germany one sees French prisoners,
+easy to tell by their red _kepis_, boxed up in cattle cars, peering out
+from a narrow slit at the top. From the terrace can be heard the dull
+thud of distant cannon; the fighting is at Warrem, thirty kilometres
+from here.
+
+
+
+
+_Monday, September 14th._
+
+
+Somebody came into possession of a newspaper, the "Figaro" from Paris,
+dated September 6th. We were delighted to have it loaned us for an hour,
+greasy and dirty as it was, for in these days a newspaper is the most
+precious article on earth. It is brought in on a silver tray--then
+somebody feverishly reads aloud for the benefit of the others, while the
+servants run out to invite the neighbors to come in and listen. Just as
+the reader is in the middle of a grand eulogy on glorious victories,
+etc., an unknown person raps on the door to reclaim the precious journal
+and we all relapse into a general interchange of impressions, ideas,
+complaints, inspirations--"They say"; "It appears"; "Why"; "Must";
+"Ought"; "Should"; etc. In a German paper we read to-day, they are
+preparing their men for "slight defeats" by saying that, "The French
+army is no longer the army of 1870, but one worthy to combat with our
+own." That was very condescending and was doubtless inspired by the
+formidable battleline from the coast to Nancy, before their noses.
+
+
+
+
+_September 16th, Wednesday._
+
+
+Natural laws are demonstrating themselves very plainly these days, for
+when we were sitting on the terrace just before lunch to-day, a curious
+thing happened--a sound wave, from a cannon shot literally hit our ear
+drums. I felt as if somebody had struck mine with a padded club. There
+was no noise, you understand, but we all looked up, aware of the impact
+at the same moment, so that it could not have been imagination. It must
+be that the terrible experiences of the past weeks have developed us to
+a highly sensitized degree, for many things are strikingly clear which
+were not so before.
+
+Nearly every afternoon we go up over the hill to a high cliff
+overhanging the river which makes a sounding board for those sounds,
+which never abate, of a distant battle across the valley.
+
+Heaven above! how are there men enough left after all these weeks of
+killing to continue a battle? At times the reports come as thick and
+fast as hail, making one long roar of awfulness, and our hearts sink
+like lead at the vision it conjures up.
+
+And again, how readily and eagerly hope springs up when the shots become
+interrupted and the noise fades away a little.
+
+In this wooded spot where we so often go to find out the real truth of
+things with our own ears, one meets nearly all one's friends from the
+neighboring villas who have come for the same purpose, morbidly
+attracted as we all, no doubt, are by these dreadful signs of a world of
+torture.
+
+We huddle together like sheep lost in the storm, we confide our personal
+misfortunes and we recount the barbarous tales we have recently heard,
+the story ever interrupted by fresh evidence of the reviving fury of the
+never-ending struggle.
+
+When we arrived home we heard that a company of soldiers had arrested,
+as espions, four or five men who, like ourselves, were taking a little
+promenade in the wood across the valley. Our liberties are being
+curtailed more and more. Thank goodness there is a large garden and a
+private wood to wander in. A month ago the order was that every
+inhabitant must be in the house and lights out at eight P. M.
+Now it is seven o'clock and as the days grow shorter it will soon be six
+or five--and perhaps three. The soldiers are in such a blue fear of
+being shot that recently in Aerschot all the villagers were put into the
+church on bread and water. Some of the men were shot before their wives
+and most of the houses burned. And they say, "the heart of the Imperial
+Empire bleeds." It is not surprising that it does when one considers
+what is happening right here at Liege, where houses are burned and
+innocent men shot for murder. Afterward one finds German bullets in
+German soldiers, which proves what you will.
+
+What a story we heard to-day--such a pitiful little story of somebody's
+blue-eyed boy who ran out with his toy gun and aimed it at the passing
+troops.
+
+They shot him dead, the little fellow, but he will sleep in a hero's
+grave as truly as another, for his loyal wee might.
+
+
+
+
+_September 18th, Friday._
+
+
+A memorable day! We went in the auto to Spa. As we drove out of the
+court yard we were obliged to let some horsemen pass, who were out for
+their morning exercise. I think it is somebody's body guard, for we see
+them often at a distance. There are about thirty of them and at close
+range they are rather beautiful, that is, their uniforms of spotless
+white broadcloth with gold trimmings. _En route_ we passed by Fort
+d'Embourg, which still has some of its cupolas, and Fort Chaudefontaine,
+which our burned soldiers defended and which is demolished. For miles
+around the country has been flattened, one may say, from the operation
+of the cannon and looks as if a cyclone had hurried across it. Every bit
+of shrubbery has been swept off the soil as if by a blast of magic and
+the singed earth has a very shorn-lamb aspect.
+
+Our route was a veritable _via dolorosa_--destruction on both sides, in
+front and behind. Many houses and trees had eight inch shells half
+sticking in them which have not exploded and nobody knows when they may.
+The churches were without fail demolished more or less and the most
+astonishing thing was to see, again and again, the marble statue of the
+Christ standing intact on the crumbling remains of an altar. It fills
+one with awe and reverence to see this figure repeatedly spared by a
+supernatural power from an otherwise pitiless devastation. We passed
+through the now famous Louvigne which was entirely burned by the
+Prussians on their way to Liege. It was the same old story of the
+"civilians firing on the troops," or rather the excuse of the
+delinquents to martyr innocent villagers who instinctively took up a
+rifle to defend their homes, as any one of us would. And revenge came
+quickly.
+
+As we neared this spot which scarred the face of Nature, we were seized
+with silent horror. If, in the smiling sunshine and in the quiet of the
+beautiful country, we shivered at the sight of such destruction and the
+thought of that dastardly work which marked the destiny of hundreds of
+human beings, what must the awful realization have been to the
+inhabitants themselves? Fancy the helplessness of them and their
+consternation at the approach of a great army bearing down, of men
+maddened with the love of conquest, of the wild beast seeking what it
+may devour! Imagine the distant rumbling of wheels, drawing nearer and
+nearer, the thud of horses' hoofs, the rhythmic tramp of feet, first
+wafted on the wind, and finally the frightful dread confirmed by a
+sudden explosion from the forts. Then the arrival--the dark--the
+noise--the confusion--the terror of the women--the screams of little
+children clinging to their mothers--the despair of the old ones, ill and
+bedridden--fire everywhere and men torn from the arms of their loved
+ones and stood up in a row and shot. What ghastly scenes, illumined
+still more by those rockets of flame from the forts which cut across the
+plain to stay the brutal invaders!
+
+I saw a little girl come out from the debris to draw water from a
+pump--for what? For whom? There did not seem to be a living creature in
+the vicinity, though perhaps some of the poor things who fled out into
+the night across the fields for safety, have come back to dig out a
+little home under the crumbled stone. One or two houses remained
+standing, which seems a miracle, as petrole-soaked fire-brands were
+thrown systematically into every habitation. As we passed, rather
+quickly, I counted ninety houses in ruins and about half a mile from the
+road, a magnificent chateau, a victim as well as the meanest hovel. The
+facade only was standing, though on approaching directly, the building
+seemed intact, except for a curious impression of daylight shining
+through the windows.
+
+Coming back in the twilight the effect of all this misery was
+accentuated, the sentinels every few hundred yards were more suspicious
+than ever and when we came upon a few isolated "_Hussars de la Mort_"
+with the death's head leering out from those elegant fur turbans, I
+thought all was finished. Happily the men were more peaceable than their
+aspect.
+
+Spa, the lovely, indolent _ville d'eaux_, which we visited, was filled
+with the "military" and bristling like a porcupine with saw-edged
+bayonets and pointed helmets.
+
+
+
+
+_September 22nd, Tuesday._
+
+
+The doctor has gone to Neufchateau in the Ardennes to bring back the
+French and Belgian wounded. I wish I could have gone with him, for we
+seem so useless here now that our soldiers are well, and the days are
+long, since the wild excitement of a giant army on the wing has cooled
+down. "On the wing" is not an idle expression when we remember those
+forced marches and how they lashed the poor artillery horses which
+galloped and strained in the traces without making much impression on
+the wheels. It was rather like that famous chariot race in the play,
+"Ben Hur," when the landscape rolled around too fast for the horses.
+Certain Imperial Esprits have doubtless already arrived, but without the
+baggage--an item somewhat important.
+
+May the Fates preserve beautiful Paris! There is a dear little French
+sister at the Convent (this Sisterhood was transferred from Metz after
+the War of 1870) who says that we must pray the Blessed Virgin every day
+to "_ecraser_ (smash) _les Allemands_," and she says it so fervently
+that one does not observe the lack of Christian spirit.
+
+Very little is passing through the city at present except perhaps this
+eternal line of trains, and oh, how we are thirsting for news! Can you
+imagine, dear people at home, you who have hundreds of newspapers, how
+we are straining every nerve to know the real truth of things as they
+are, to pierce through this thick wall, with which an arrogant despotism
+has cut us off from the whole world? But we cannot. It is wadded on both
+sides with deceptions and our only privilege is to surmise. What poor
+things we are, in truth, though born and reared in the common
+independence of the age. Everywhere (else) the poorest farmer has his
+one old horse to take him to and fro, where he will, and he has his acre
+of God's country, where he may muse in the sun or dream with the stars,
+while we, conquered by numbers, must walk in a straight line without
+loitering and we must go into our houses at seven P. M. and
+close the door. Do you think that is amusing?
+
+
+
+
+_September 24th, Thursday._
+
+
+We heard five booms of cannon in an hour this morning and bad and
+inhuman as it sounds, we were quite pleased--any little sign from an
+outside world that one lives, one breathes, to drag us out of this
+inertia, this eternal silence!
+
+
+
+
+_September 28th, Monday._
+
+
+There was quite a demonstration in Liege yesterday when they brought
+back from Neufchateau some Belgian and French wounded. The people all
+shouted, "_Vive la France._" Today we have a new military governor, who
+has given the order to shoot, without hesitation, any person attempting
+such an indiscretion again.
+
+The scene of operations is gradually swinging back into Belgium and the
+stories of atrocities are increasing. The sacking and burning of
+Louvain, with its art treasures and its world-famous library of rare
+books and old manuscripts, is only another blot on a shield already
+stained. In fact, it is said that the general who permitted it is most
+discontented with himself for having been so stupid and that he has been
+relieved from active service on account of ill health.
+
+Monsieur Max, the burgomaster of Brussels, has been taken prisoner and
+is in confinement at Namur, because he was not able nor willing to meet
+the demands of the Prussians, who want gold. We hear that the women of
+Germany have been required to give up all their jewelry, except wedding
+rings, for fighting money.
+
+
+
+
+_September 30th, Wednesday._
+
+
+We went again to Spa in the auto. Passing again through the pitiful
+village of Louvigne, we saw, in a meadow, the graves, covered with
+wayside flowers, of the farmers who were shot. The soldiers picked out
+forty of the villagers, stood them up in a line, then shouted, "Save
+yourselves." Thirteen were shot in the back and the rest escaped. What
+words to find for this barbarism? But is it barbarism and not rather the
+refined cruelty of civilization? Is it not better then to remain a
+primitive, with a beautiful faith in the Sun-god?
+
+
+
+
+_October 1st, Thursday._
+
+
+The siege of Antwerp has begun. Here is a dialogue between the Kaiser
+and his _belle armee_.
+
+K. "I need Antwerp."
+
+A. "Your Majesty shall have Antwerp, but we need five hundred thousand
+men."
+
+K. "You shall have them."
+
+Does this explain the fantastic array of soldiers, sailors, the old, the
+young, grandfathers and infants, the simple rank and file and the
+elegant regiments of H. M. that are continually trailing on to the
+battlefield?
+
+
+
+
+_September 29th, Tuesday._
+
+
+The servants are dismantling the house today, putting all the art
+treasures in safety--tapestries, silver, portraits, paintings, rugs,
+fine china, furniture, dresses, furs, books, linen--in fact everything
+of value. All this is to be taken off for safekeeping and sealed
+up,--maybe, in the crystal caves of the river nymph, Arethusa. Madame X.
+does not like to imagine the _Haus Fraus_ parading in her sables.
+
+A man in the city saw some circulars ready for distribution that were
+printed by the German War Office, saying that in case of retreat of the
+army, the inhabitants of Liege would have six hours to evacuate the
+city.
+
+All that horror over again? Oh! this is a more terrifying thought, even,
+than the advance of an army.
+
+Madame de H. managed to get through to us a letter from Brussels by
+messenger. What dreadful things are happening, what curious things!
+Three kilometres from her chateau on the other side of Brussels is an
+old feudal castle which has been occupied for the last two years by an
+Austrian family. These people were never very neighborly, preferring
+their own society evidently and spending all their time and interest in
+repairing the dilapidated walls of an unused wing of the chateau. This
+had turned out an endless task, as it appears, continued for weeks and
+then suddenly and unaccountably stopped for days, only to be feverishly
+recommenced. But of course, people round about, accustomed to the
+varying energy of workmen in general were not puzzled at this. At least
+this was the explanation given and, in truth, it began to look as if the
+old place would live its given quota of days and crumble away still
+unfinished.
+
+Twenty-four hours after Germany declared war on France and had already
+crossed the frontier into Belgium, the Austrian family disappeared in
+the night, taking with them their household goods. The next day Belgian
+authorities seized the property and found a complete arsenal under the
+walls with a net-work of tunnels burrowing far into the earth in all
+directions.
+
+
+
+
+_October 3rd, Saturday._
+
+
+During the last forty-eight hours, hundreds of cattle cars have been
+going back to Germany and we were very curious as to their contents.
+Unhappily, we have been enlightened.
+
+Some of the villagers at the station, this morning, looked into one car
+and saw that it was full of dead human bodies, tied together in threes
+and packed tightly side by side in rows. Is that not too horrible for
+words? It is better not to be too inquisitive these days, for there is
+horror enough on the surface of things.
+
+The Germans have already taken some of the forts of Antwerp, although
+the country surrounding the outer belt line of forts has been purposely
+inundated, which does not, however, prevent the operation of big field
+cannon.
+
+About fourteen of our wounded at the Convent Ambulance were sent to
+Germany today as prisoners. We went to see them off and found the poor
+things absolutely overwhelmed. Against the fear of cold and
+imprisonment, they put on as many clothes as possible--two suits of
+underwear, two pairs of socks, two pairs of trousers, coats, shirts,
+sweaters and waistcoats--until they looked like stuffed partridges.
+Poor, feathered brood, with pinioned wings! At three P. M. our
+(usually) gay boys were led out of the court, two by two, like convicts,
+a Prussian at the head of the column and a Prussian at the foot.
+
+Oh, these Belgians are brave and they know how to obey, which may be the
+very secret of their greatness. It is glorious to see the respect with
+which even grown men accept the advice of their aged parents, for at the
+moment of peril to their honor and their country when the old father had
+said to his son, "My boy, it is time to lay down the hoe and take up
+the sword," he had answered, simply, "_Oui, mon pere_," while the women
+brought out the sword and buckled it on with a tearless Godspeed.
+
+That is the way the Belgians went to war and that is the way they will
+sustain themselves to the glorious end.
+
+
+
+
+_October 5th, Monday._
+
+
+To-day, two months after that horrible battle of Sartilmont, we found a
+Belgian soldier's cap lying in the middle of the path in the woods. It
+seemed like a human thing and stirred me to the profoundest depths. I
+never thought that clothes could take on life and a personality all
+alone, but they do. Has its owner been in hiding all these weeks or is
+he lying yet unburied among the friendly trees? In these places where
+Death has walked so boldly one feels his accompanying presence at every
+step.
+
+
+
+
+_October 8th, Thursday._
+
+
+Monsieur B., a man of seventy years (Madame X.'s brother-in-law), was
+taken as hostage yesterday at Spa. Fortunately for him, he was allowed
+to sleep in the hotel, but can you imagine what the anxiety of those
+twenty-four hours was? Every voice in the street, every foot-step in the
+corridor--!
+
+From the top of the mountain all day a continual booming was heard,
+distantly transmitted through the air. It was so incessant and with such
+vivacity, one could easily imagine two armies all mixed up into one. The
+Red Cross trains bear witness to tremendous battles somewhere--but
+where? We hardly know how to contain ourselves in this absolute
+ignorance of what is happening in the world. We rush upon and tear to
+bits, like beasts of prey, the least little piece of news that comes
+straggling within reach and if, by chance, someone comes into the court,
+it is enough for all the family, including the servants, to rush to the
+windows in excitement.
+
+The soldiers who are in the garage had the delicate idea of killing a
+cow therein, which they did, and dismantled the animal then and there.
+The next day they dressed themselves in Belgian uniforms, stripped from
+the dead, and had themselves photographed before the chateau. We noticed
+their laughing and pointing to the attic windows of the house, and we
+finally discovered that they had festooned strings of sausages, of their
+own recent make, from the window sills, to ripen.
+
+A Baron de S. spent the night here, and told us of the ravages made by
+the passing troops at his chateau down in the country. They had buried a
+Frenchman in one corner of the garden and two Germans in another and
+nothing was left but the house. All engravings and paintings were cut
+with a sword; silver platters were melted in a lump in the court yard;
+meat was cut up on a beautiful salon table; shoe polish was rubbed on
+another; pipes in the kitchen and bathroom were cut to flood the rooms;
+every glass in the house was broken and all the linen carried off except
+the handkerchiefs.
+
+
+
+
+_October 9th, Friday._
+
+
+Baron T., another friend of the family, came to lunch. He told us of his
+cousin, who was one of the unfortunate victims of the sack of Louvain.
+This aged man (seventy years) with a thousand others, was obliged to
+walk for twenty-four hours with nothing to eat or drink and arms
+stretched up straight over their heads. The poor man, fainting with
+fatigue, asked permission of the soldiers to put his hands behind his
+neck, but this grace was denied, and after some hours more all the
+company was pushed into a cattle train and for eight days taken over the
+country, as far as Cologne, and at last released in Brussels, almost
+demented.
+
+When this Monsieur--of whom I speak, found himself free again he made
+his way, laboriously enough, to his brother's house in Brussels.
+
+The _maitre d'hotel_ opened the door and, seeing this haggard, bootless
+individual, who was weakened with fatigue and dazed from his recent
+horrible experience, did not recognize him, naturally enough, and
+refused him admission until the old gentleman got his poor scattered
+brains together enough to prove his identity. This is the story as we
+have it first-hand. Can it then be possible that the others we heard are
+true, too?
+
+
+
+
+_October 10th, Saturday._
+
+
+I have been advertised! like a stray dog, and what a feeling of
+importance it gives one. A peculiar looking document with the Embassy
+seals of Paris and Brussels on it, arrived from the American Consul in
+Liege enquiring if such a person as "Me" still exists.
+
+Well, rather, I should say. Fancy one's coming all the way on foot from
+Brussels to find out that!
+
+Masses of soldiers and cannon passing today and news from Brussels is
+bad. The worst must have happened! "Antwerp, the untakable." How is it
+possible in a few days, with fifty-two forts in triple line? We were so
+depressed we could scarcely eat dinner, when about nine P. M.
+came the news, from a man of affairs who is just back from Brussels,
+that the rumor is false. We shall sleep tonight after this hope and the
+end of the world is not today, anyway.
+
+
+
+
+_October 11th, Sunday._
+
+
+We have heard the raging of a distant battle for days and we tremble for
+the result. It seems that Antwerp is really taken, that is, "they say"
+so, but it is such a mystery to everybody.
+
+A Dutch army nurse--but in the German Red Cross service--is here for a
+few days' furlough, and related to Madame X. some horrible details of
+the battlefield in France, whence she has recently come. It is just one
+scene of mud and blood--pieces of limbs strewn everywhere and the dead
+standing straight against masses of bodies, both living and dead. In
+some towns she saw women and children pinioned with a sword through the
+breast to the walls of their houses, and in Belgium the women and
+children were often obliged to hold the hands of the men whom the
+soldiers shot at random, according to their fancy. Here again are tales
+that one hears that I cannot assert as facts, though this woman told
+them as her own experiences.
+
+Madame X. received a card from Charles, the young gardener, who is now
+safe in France training with the Belgian army near Dunkirque. You are
+doubtless wondering how a card arrived here, as we have had no mail
+since August 2nd. It was sent to a certain bank in Holland which is not
+far from the Belgian frontier and a messenger brought it on foot.
+
+And I have sent you back a letter, dear people, scribbled at top speed
+(without capitals, t's crossed nor i's dotted, probably) by the same
+messenger who takes his life in his hands when he passes the guard at
+the Dutch frontier again. If letters are found on this person he will
+certainly be shot, so whether you ever receive my communication will be
+a matter of history.
+
+
+
+
+_October 13th, Tuesday._
+
+
+The old concierge of the hunting box at Viel Salm (near Malmedy,
+Germany), who has been dying of tuberculosis for twenty years, arrived
+here tonight, having walked the whole distance of seventy five
+kilometres. This shows the faithfulness of the old servant who thought
+he must come to report the sacking of the villa by the German troops
+which occurred in the early days of August.
+
+The poor man could not have hobbled another step, for he was at the end
+of his strength and his feet were just two great blisters. He told a
+shocking tale of the troops, who entirely pillaged the villa. While he
+went to complain of them at the _Kommandantur_ of the place, others came
+and what they did not break up, they took off. Pictures, engravings and
+mirrors were broken, the leather chairs slit up with a sabre--artistically
+done in the shape of a cross--and porcelain smashed in the middle of the
+courtyard. You can see by this that pillaging and atrocities began when
+the troops were hardly over the frontier.
+
+In one of the numerous pillaged chateaux around about, an extraordinary
+bit of literature, in fact a masterpiece, has been found by the
+chatelaine. A tiny scrap of paper sticking out from a book had these
+words scribbled on it in German: "I am only a common soldier but I ask
+pardon for these atrocities, committed by my superior officers."
+
+
+
+
+_October 14th, Wednesday._
+
+
+It is unbelievable the trainloads of soldiers that are passing about
+every ten minutes, and the fighting--judging from the wounded--must be
+beyond words. The army nurse told of men who have fought five days in
+the trenches without relief. They were tumbling over with fatigue, rifle
+in hand, and the officers were obliged to go from one to the other,
+shaking them into consciousness.
+
+[Illustration: MAP SHOWING VIEL SALM AND THE GERMAN FRONTIER]
+
+
+
+
+_October 16th, Friday._
+
+
+We went to Viel Salm in the automobile. The destruction at the villa,
+which I saw with my own eyes, has not been exaggerated. There was
+practically nothing left but the structure itself and that was far from
+intact, for nearly all the great plate glass windows were broken by some
+_devot_ of vandalism who had taken the trouble and an ax to split up the
+jambs of the doors so that they never could shut again.
+
+Inside was far worse; every picture, glass and mirror was smashed, each
+leather chair had a great cross on it, cut with the sword, the sofas
+were ripped up the middle, curtains and portieres were wrenched from
+their rods, all the dishes were taken except the glass stoppers of the
+water-bottles, all the linen, all the blankets, all the clothes except a
+few which were carefully cut up into ribbons and the tops of riding
+boots which were sawed off for gaiters. In addition to this, eighteen
+beds and bedsteads as well were carried off.
+
+We visited the Baronne de L., whose son, after refusing a demand of
+forty thousand francs, was taken as a hostage, with the burgomaster and
+others of the village.
+
+One morning at two o'clock a great ox cart drove up the avenue of pines
+to the chateau and took him off before his mother's eyes. He is now
+confined in a convict's cell at Coblenz.
+
+Baronne de L. has suffered severely at the hands of the invaders. She is
+living quite alone in the chateau with the servants since her son was
+taken and the avalanche of troops swept over the frontier at this point.
+The house has been full of officers from the "first days" and she thinks
+one of them was the "Kronprinz" from his photograph and because his
+brother-officers always addressed him as Excellency. After one frightful
+day, when the soldiers had literally despoiled the place by tearing
+trophies from the wall, appropriating furniture and devastating the
+stables, the household quieted down about midnight and everybody was in
+bed, when suddenly a thundering of horses' hoofs was heard in the
+courtyard and a new detachment of hungry, quarrelsome men piled in,
+making a raid on the kitchen and pantries as usual. They were even more
+boisterous and brutal than their predecessors and poor Madame de L.
+crept fearfully up to the captain's room to solicit his aid and
+protection. She knocked and knocked several times before the door
+finally burst open and he angrily demanded what she wanted. Just as he
+was in the middle of roaring out an oath, he suddenly drew himself up
+haughtily, attired as he was in that great voluminous night gown
+accredited to the Teutonic people, to salute a superior officer who at
+that moment ascended the stair-case.
+
+Baronne de L. said that in spite of the fearfulness of the moment, it
+was one of the most laughable scenes that she ever witnessed.
+
+On our way home from Viel Salm we saw the wonderful bridge of trees,
+three hundred feet long and fifty feet high, at Trois Ponts, which the
+Germans built when the tunnel was blown up by the Belgians at the
+commencement of the war. It is a marvellous affair in engineering
+construction and commands enthusiastic admiration. Except for iron bolts
+and rivets, it is made entirely of trunks of huge trees--with the bark
+yet on in places, though, when necessary, a surface was planed square
+and true to meet its fellow.
+
+We drove through the village of Francorchamps, which was also burned to
+the ground, and a few miles further on met three Prussian officers who
+snarled out some frightful invective as we passed. I cannot think of a
+reason, except that we were in an automobile while they were obliged to
+circulate in a modest, pony phaeton.
+
+
+
+
+_October 17th, Saturday._
+
+
+Antwerp is taken! There is no doubt about it now, and it is a sad blow
+for Belgium. Antwerp! the pride and strength of the whole empire! But
+there is not a person (bar the enemy) who does not expect to get it back
+and all the rest of the usurped territory.
+
+Madame de H. sent letters by a "foot-messenger" from Brussels. She left
+here only to plunge into a wild vortex of experiences there. Two days
+ago she saw a battle in the air between two aeroplanes and yesterday the
+locomotives on the trains had chains of roses around their necks to
+celebrate some good news for the enemy. It sounds wild, doesn't it? And
+last week--well, one does not dare to think what might have happened at
+her home, Chateau de H., when four different companies of soldiers
+pursued each other in quick succession on the road.
+
+First a regiment of German light infantry passed who stopped just long
+enough for some hot coffee and were off again. About half an hour later
+a brigade of Belgian bicycle _carabiniers_ appeared and stayed to
+"lunch." They were not so _presses_ and were leisurely laughing and
+joking when one of the stable-men rushed panting into the kitchen and
+said a company of Uhlans could be seen galloping hard in the distance.
+
+Then ensued a kaleidoscopic performance which took less time than my
+writing it, and they all escaped, safely guided by Baron de H. himself,
+down a narrow path hidden by trees behind the stables which led them
+eventually right out across the heart of that famous beet-root country.
+When the last man was safely hidden from view, one breathed a sigh of
+relief which only changed to an exclamation of terror as, turning from
+this window to look out of another, one saw a hundred fierce horsemen
+dash up, hard on the scent of their prey.
+
+When Madame de H. (senior) looked down from her room and saw the Uhlans
+ride into the court, she went right off her head, literally, and drawing
+a tiny pearl-handled revolver from a secret drawer in her desk, started
+to shoot from the window. But thanks to the presence of mind and rapid
+action of her daughter-in-law, who pushed her unceremoniously into her
+dressing-room and locked the door, she was prevented in time, which
+without the least doubt saved all their lives.
+
+It is just such circumstances as these that have given the troops
+opportunities and excuses to shoot peace loving citizens and burn down
+many a town.
+
+Madame de H. (junior) then went down stairs and placated the men, who
+were very insolent, as well as she could with what was left to eat in
+the house. As the latter were deep in this occupation of refreshing
+themselves, the sentry espied a troop of Belgian lanciers coming on the
+gallop and gave the alarm.
+
+To horse! and away they went, bridles clinking, lances clashing. Then
+commenced a phantom race as they flew over the ground like the wind, the
+Belgians following hot in pursuit, until they both disappeared over the
+edge of the world.
+
+
+
+
+_October 19th, Monday._
+
+
+I went to see the American Consul, to explain that I do exist and to ask
+his advice about getting back to France. He did not seem to second my
+enthusiasm, which surprised me, and said, "In the first place what would
+you go in, and in the second, why should you want to go, with Paris
+surrounded by 2,000,000 soldiers?"
+
+Isn't it human nature to want to get out of prison?
+
+He has received no mail from America since August 19th and a letter
+which came from his confrere, the American Consul at Aix-la-Chapelle,
+Germany, took twenty-five days by the German Military Post.
+
+
+
+
+_October 22nd, Thursday._
+
+
+I was perfectly enraged this morning when I crossed the bridge and saw
+the soldiers changing the street signs into the German language. Now it
+is "_nach Brussels_" and "_nach Luettich_."
+
+I suppose you will say, "But why be so disturbed about things? It is not
+your war." But it is my war. I cannot keep out of it--it's everybody's
+war!
+
+The new soldiers who have been in the stable at the chateau received
+sudden orders to advance. The rest of the company, scattered about in
+the vicinity, assembled here and they marched out of the court, a
+hundred strong. Poor, old, nice things, these Bavarians; they did not
+look very military nor very keen about moving on to the "front."
+
+In contrast one can tell a Prussian five blocks away by his swing. His
+stride is so individually overbearing that it is impossible to mistake.
+
+
+
+
+_November 5th, Thursday._
+
+
+Monsieur and Madame S. came back from Brussels today and oh, it was good
+to get a little, first-hand, outside news! It appears that Brussels
+still has a semblance of her normal activity, as the heel of oppression,
+in the presence of different foreign representatives, has not cut in so
+deeply there. Madame S. said, one evening when they were walking in the
+street she noticed a man following them and when they reached a
+particularly dark corner he came quickly up and whispered, "Would you
+like to see a 'London Times'? Then come into the shadow across the way."
+It is well known that a single copy has already sold for 165 francs and
+also there has been quite a traffic in renting sheets of it for twenty
+francs the half hour.
+
+Coming back from Brussels, they drove through Louvain--martyred Louvain!
+It was too dreadful to contemplate. First the material destruction of
+those wonderful buildings, like an exquisite pattern in lace, torn by a
+ruthless sword and eaten by wanton flame; then the misery and
+deprivation of the people who were able to resist those hours of agony
+and peril.
+
+Every sort of device was used for shelter and hollow eyes and
+terror-stricken faces looked out from the damp cellars under the ruins,
+where destitute families of at least half the population had crept to
+find a home.
+
+Now we know why the taking of Antwerp has been kept so modestly in the
+background and has never been advertised in Liege like all the other
+victories, which were always flaunted in large print. It is because
+while the Germans were studiously busy taking the city, fort by fort,
+the Belgian army was walking out by the side door, along the coast to
+France, so that when a big personage was sent from Germany to make a
+grand, triumphal entry into Antwerp, he found an empty city and received
+the sword of a general, ill and incapacitated for duty.
+
+It is said that the Prussian general who accomplished the siege was
+decorated amid a grand flourish of trumpets and then retired, since one
+of the great motives was the capture of the Belgian army, which is now
+safe in France and taking a week-end off somewhere. Is it not fine that
+little Belgium has been able to impede the great German army two and one
+half months, which has given the other actors in the play time to
+change their costumes? Oh, it is fine to be brave!
+
+Countess de M. came with Monsieur and Madame S. from Brussels and has
+her passports all in order to go to France, to her husband who is in the
+Belgian army near Calais. She is leaving at once, under the protection
+of the Dutch Consul, who is here in Liege for a few days (a circumstance
+ordained by the Fates) and who is going to conduct her in his auto over
+the frontier to Maestricht, Holland. And the miracle has happened! If I
+can get my papers in readiness in two days, she will take me with her. I
+am wild with joy, but I feel it is like a dream that one knows cannot
+come true.
+
+
+
+
+_November 6th, Friday._
+
+
+Just the moment I finished breakfast this morning, I dashed into town,
+that is, as fast as an old tramcar could take me, to the American
+Consul. In my impatience, I fancy I must have rung his bell several
+times, though it was really a long while before the servant opened the
+door and showed me in to the library. Then Mr. Z. (a German-sounding
+name), the Consul, appeared, unshaven and with the evidence of his
+morning meal upon his face--it was yellow.
+
+But nothing mattered to me and I plunged into the subject of getting a
+passport for to-morrow without preliminaries. Perhaps I took the poor
+man's breath away, for certainly he was not nearly as enthusiastic as I
+about it. In fact, he embarked upon a dissertation pertaining to the
+invaders which made me cry out in astonishment, "Why, you surprise me,
+you seem to have pro-enemy tendencies." "Well," he said, "they've done
+everything they've said they have, haven't they?"
+
+I asked him if he had seen Louvigne or Vise yet and he said, "No, I
+haven't ben up t' Vise yet."
+
+All this, however, was far from the point in question and I finally got
+back to it by informing him of the good fortune I was going to have
+to-morrow in getting away to Holland in the Dutch Consul's automobile if
+I could get my passport from the Germans. It did not occur to me that
+there would be any difficulty about it, so I calmly asked him if he
+could get it for me by six o'clock to-night?
+
+"Oh, no," he replied, "I could not get it before two or three days."
+
+"But," I protested, aghast, "I am going to-morrow and it is a chance in
+a thousand; I may not have another such opportunity during the war.
+Could you not make an especial effort to get it for me?"
+
+"Well," he answered, "I'll do what I can but I won't promise anything.
+I'm not agoing to ask any favors of those people," i.e., the Germans.
+
+"It is not a favor," I replied, "it is your right. For what other reason
+is an American Consul if he is not to protect his people, particularly
+in wartime?"
+
+"Oh, my dear young lady," he answered, "you must not think that you are
+the only American in Liege."
+
+"How many are there?" indignantly.
+
+"Well, three or four," he replied, reluctantly.
+
+That was really too much! I was in despair. What was to be done? Seeing
+my hope of freedom vanishing before my eyes, I clutched at the last
+straw and entreated him with what eloquence I could whip into line to
+make at least some effort to get me the passport by six o'clock, when I
+would come again to his house for it.
+
+"Oh, no," he said quickly, "I don't get back here until eight o'clock,
+but if you happen to pass by 'The Golden Lion' (or some such name) you
+might find me there."
+
+Choking with rage I said to him, "I see that you cannot help me, Mr. Z.,
+but if you will be good enough to give me your card (he had already
+suggested it) to the German passport department, I will go to the
+_Kommandantur_ myself and see what I can do; in fact, I am sure I can
+accomplish far more than you." He ought to have been affronted at this
+but, on the contrary, seemed jolly well pleased and handed me out his
+card in a hurry, glad to relieve himself of the obligation of asking any
+favors of "those people."
+
+I then made my way to the _Palais de Justice_. A man accosted me in the
+square and told me if I were going for passports it would be of no use,
+as there were hundreds and hundreds of people there before me. But I
+kept on. With the glorious end in view, viz., to be a free person and to
+see the scenes that, in a morbid way, I had begun to feel would never be
+my privilege again, I kept on, threading a path through the throngs
+until I stood right in front of the guard of the sacred chamber. He was
+an enormously fat sentry, with the usual little round cap and fixed
+bayonet. I thought he would eat me, he looked so offended, and roared
+out, "_Nein, nein, das Zimmer ist voll._" Then was my moment. I pulled
+out the little white card and addressed him--not too timidly either, for
+hadn't I the great American people behind me? He caught the words,
+"American Consul," which drew him up to salute and in the most
+lamb-like voice he murmured, "_Ach, ja, Amerikaner_," and let me pass. I
+cast one look at the multitude back of me--poor things, who may have
+stood there two days already, and I felt despicably mean, as if I were
+not playing fair.
+
+Once inside, I was put through a category of questions, worse than an
+"Inkwhich." "Why had I come to Liege?" "How long had I been there?" "Why
+did I want to go away?" "Where to?" "How?" etc. Finally my inquisitor
+became suspicious, or feigned it, and said, "But what have I to prove
+that you are an American?" Then I was furious and I answered, "Monsieur
+(I suppose he hated the French appellation), since you have the card of
+the American Consul asserting it, in your hand, is not such a question
+an indignity to my government?" He answered with a wry smile and said
+nothing.
+
+At 4 P. M. I returned for my passport with half a dozen
+photographs to be affixed thereto. I had no difficulty in getting into
+the _Bureau des Passeports_ as I still had the Consul's card upon which
+Herr Bauer, one of the German secretaries, had scribbled some mysterious
+symbols which probably meant "let her pass," or its equivalent. At any
+rate, the sentry and I regarded each other superciliously and I skidded
+past his saw-toothed bayonet without hurt.
+
+When I entered the crowded room I saw that I was about fiftieth in the
+line and I said to myself that if I waited my turn I should still be
+there at midnight. Luckily, an idea came to me, and waving that fateful
+little white card in the air, I called out over the heads of everybody,
+"Oh, Herr Bauer." A Belgian gentleman standing next me was quick enough
+to catch the name and shouted out also, "Herr Bauer." But Herr Bauer was
+far too clever for him and said with a mocking smile, "Ah, no, Monsieur,
+you will have to wait your turn. Mademoiselle, come this way."
+
+I detached myself from the crowd and stepped behind the rail, horribly
+conscious of unpleasant scrutiny. My face got hotter and hotter and I
+could only see a host of uplifted Belgian eyebrows. Even the clerks
+looked up and stared, unaccustomed as they evidently were to Herr
+Bauer's benignity. And I had to bear all that humiliation because--well,
+why?
+
+Having exposed the facts, I will give you the privilege to form your own
+opinion which will be every bit as good as mine, I know.
+
+11 P. M. My passport signed, sealed and written all over by the
+Imperial Government, is in my hand. I shall dream of long journeys, of
+bitter struggles and at last--freedom! Will the daylight never come?
+
+
+
+
+_November 7th, Saturday._
+
+
+Saturday dawned cold, gray and shivery. _Madame de M._, _Monsieur le
+consul hollandais_, and I left the chateau at eight A. M. I was
+heartbroken to part from the dear people with whom I had experienced so
+much and I fancied their eyes looked longingly at the departing
+automobile. They, too, would have liked to come out into the sunshine of
+Freedom--how much!
+
+From Liege to the frontier sentries stopped us often, but the consul's
+much-used passport, framed and glassed in like Napoleon's Abdication or
+the Declaration of Independence, was very convincing. Half an hour's
+cold drive along the Meuse brought us to Vise. On approaching it, we did
+not dream that we were nearing a town and in truth we were not--only the
+remains of one, for not a single building was standing. I had thought
+that Louvigne with its one lane was desolate and awful, but here were
+streets and streets of ashes and crumbled brick--and I seemed to see
+again the ruins of ancient Troy in Asia Minor, which are not more
+complete. Someone murmured, "Pompeii." But it is not comparable. The
+ages have woven about the broken columns of Pompeii a light film of
+romance and a bit of tender beauty springs up with the tiny, flowering
+weeds which push their way to the sun between many colored tiles. Here,
+the tragedy is too new; too crude; too bleeding!
+
+The only living things I saw were a cat scampering down a deserted
+alley, and one man--half-dazed, looking at what was probably his own
+ruined home; the only wall to be seen which was, even in part, standing.
+It must have been an ironmonger's shop, for some black kettles still
+hung on nails against the stone, and iron stoves in all their bleakness
+stood up in bold relief on piles of ashes.
+
+When the Germans came to Vise the commanding officer called the people
+together in the market place and harangued them at length, threatening
+them with dreadful punishments if they did not do so and so. He felt he
+had to, doubtless, as the town and the surrounding country are well
+known centers of the firearms industry; the peasants work in their own
+homes to a large extent and are very expert in the making of delicate
+weapons and also in their use.
+
+So, when the sturdy Belgians could not digest another single threat,
+apparently, somebody fired a shot from the crowd which killed the
+officer while he was speaking. Then followed that frightful slaughter
+and the firing of the town, the remnants of which we saw to-day. Nobody
+on earth will ever know who fired the shot, probably, for the soldiers
+hate their officers and already German bullets have been found in German
+soldiers.
+
+9 A. M. Over the frontier! Oh, the joy of it--the indescribable
+relief--the wet-eyed thankfulness! Shall I ever forget it? I did not
+know until then what depths Tyranny had furrowed into my consciousness.
+Here were men and women laughing and talking in the streets and people
+daring to drive in their own carriages, and everybody reading
+newspapers--I felt as if I would spend my last sou for one.
+
+The day was spent in wandering aimlessly over the old town. The wind was
+bitterly piercing and a fog hung over the canal but I was not altogether
+aware of bodily discomfort. My mind, trying to adjust itself to new
+conditions, was in a haze, staggering back and forth from the
+consciousness of regained freedom to servitude and from barbarism to
+freedom again.
+
+At three P. M. the train left for Flushing, where we were to
+take the boat for Folkestone, England. Just before it pulled out of the
+station, a friend of Comtesse de M. rushed up to the car window and
+said, "Madame, must you go? We have just received a dispatch saying that
+a big boat has been sunk today by a mine near Boulogne." But nothing on
+earth could have deterred us then.
+
+All through the country of Holland, Dutch soldiers were "preparing"
+everywhere. We arrived at Flushing at two A. M. and went aboard
+at once, but not before being well looked over by English commissioners,
+who examined our foreheads and wrists for German measles. Shall I ever
+get away from that word?
+
+
+
+
+_November 8th, Sunday._
+
+
+A long day on the Channel and I was seasick--miserably, hopelessly,
+endlessly seasick, but when somebody shouted I managed to lift my head
+in time to see a floating mine--just a tiny, black buoy bobbing about,
+but I did not mind. I asked the stewardess if she were not afraid,
+making the journey every day, and her answer awed me by its conciseness
+and its confidence. "Oh, no," she said. "Our Admiralty has arranged a
+path for us between the mines." That was a sublime faith, but I should
+choose a more winsome path--bordered with marigolds, perhaps, or phlox.
+
+About four P. M. the gaunt, chalk cliffs of Dover hove into
+sight, rising up in their grimness and seeming yet to shadow the awful
+tragedy of the previous day, when an auxiliary cruiser had struck a mine
+a quarter of a mile from shore and sunk in five minutes.
+
+
+
+
+_November 9th, Monday._
+
+
+Folkestone! The busiest town on earth, I should say, and soldiers
+everywhere. There were ruddy-looking troops, singing also, and
+apparently quite content to be "going over," for an Englishman is always
+game; and there were pale ones, just out of hospital, in every kind of
+uniform, and bands of refugees and exiles who had not a franc among
+them.
+
+Comtesse de M. went with me to the English Embassy to see if they would
+give me a passport to France with her, for in my haste in leaving Liege,
+it had not occurred to me that I would need a passport ever again
+anywhere.
+
+It seemed to me that there were millions of people at the door of the
+Embassy, but fortunately Madame de M. found an acquaintance who must
+have had considerable influence, for he took us around to a secret door
+and we were soon in the audience room. Well, of course, there was
+nothing to prove that I was an American but our honest word, which was
+not enough, so I offered to hand out my German passport, which was
+certainly maladroit.
+
+Fancy, an Englishman viseing a German passport!
+
+Then Madame de M. pulled out hers and asked them to sign my name on it
+as companion to her. The august head looked troubled at this; however,
+he took his pen and was just in the act of putting it to paper when his
+assistant or rather accomplice interposed and they argued a bit. He took
+his pen for the second time and plunging it into the inkwell was just
+about to sign when somebody else expostulated and another discussion
+ensued.
+
+For the third time (he pulled himself together as a man who knows what
+he is about) he took his pen and would certainly have achieved his
+object if the door had not opened at the inexpressible moment to admit
+an authoritative-looking person who vetoed the whole proceeding.
+
+What those moments were to me I shall never be able to describe--that
+pen so near the paper! A naked sword three times across my throat would
+not have been greater suspense. Marie Antoinette could not have suffered
+more.
+
+Well, the game was up anyway, and as there was no American Consul nearer
+than London, I decided to try the amiability of the French Consul which
+I found impeccable.
+
+At the French Embassy again was that rush and struggle for papers, and
+there I witnessed a pathetic scene. A Belgian man, of middle age, and
+well dressed, came to the consul literally asking alms. "Monsieur," he
+said, "to ask you for help is the hardest thing that I shall ever do in
+my life, but I have lost everything and I must go to my wife, who is ill
+in France, and I have but five francs. Could your Embassy aid me?"
+
+At five P. M. the boat left Folkestone, containing a
+conglomerate parcel of humanity--sailors and soldiers of different
+nations and in divers uniforms, singing alternately the "_Marseillaise_"
+and "God Save the King"; Red Cross assistants eager to reach the field
+of their work; white-haired mothers in search of their wounded sons,
+trembling for the message that land would have in store for them and
+despairing exiles awaiting at least the welcome sound of their beloved
+tongue. Night fell like a soft mantle and we forged on, into the
+darkness, chancing what might befall. What impressed me among the people
+aboard was the apparent lack of anxiety for personal safety. Past
+sufferings and the great future issue were the predominant thoughts.
+
+The dock at Calais was crowded with anxious friends and Belgian
+soldiers. Madame de M. found several acquaintances among the
+latter--friends of her husband. After the usual Custom House proceedings
+we started on a quest for rooms for the night. A subdued excitement
+trembled over the city; the whole population was in the streets; throngs
+were seething up and down; hundreds of soldiers were hurrying to and fro
+and intense groups of men discussed probabilities, while anxious women
+pressed in on the crowd to catch a hopeful word. We heard that the
+German army was about to plunge through to Dunkirque and would shell
+Calais from there. The civil population was therefore expecting every
+moment the order to evacuate the city.
+
+As we crossed the railroad near the pier, we saw in the half light a
+small company of Belgian soldiers limping along, each with a forlorn
+bundle on his back. Their aspect was _completement demoralize_, and the
+young lieutenant with us, moved by his quick sympathy, shouted, "Oh,
+say, _camarades_, have you heard of the new victories on the Yser and
+the brilliant defense of the Belgians?" The poor, despondent things,
+fired at once by the spirit of his enthusiasm, straightened themselves
+up and cried, "Oh! Ah! Is it true? _Merci, mon lieutenant, vivent les
+Belges!_"
+
+A few yards further on we passed a group of refugees who were stumbling
+aimlessly along in the dark--there were men and women, trying to console
+each other, and whimpering children, sick with hunger, clinging to their
+mothers' skirts. Their plaintive cry was like a knife through the heart.
+
+After picking a toilsome way through the crowds we arrived in the
+quarter of the big hotels and found there was not a room to be had. Not
+at all daunted, we retraced our steps and sought the small hotels--there
+were no rooms. Still, with courage--even amusement (the affair was
+taking on a spirit of adventure) we attacked the _pensions de
+famille_--not a cot; not a corner. Then we stopped in the _Place_ to
+review the situation, which began to look dull gray. There were still
+the _cabarets_, or we could sit in the street all night. We chose the
+_cabarets_ and with newborn hope started on, systematically taking one
+street after another, knocking at most dreadful-looking places, even
+along the waterfront. A woman's voice from behind barred shutters
+usually responded. Every chair, every table, every square inch of floor
+was spoken for. Then the warm, brightly-lighted railroad station,
+opposite the pier, leaped into our numbed consciousness--why had we not
+thought of it before? The military authorities forbade loitering there.
+
+Out in the dark, once more we looked at each other inquiringly. That was
+a curious joke. Fate had never dealt us such a hand of cards before! We
+viewed the landscape--half of it was water and the little waves lapping
+against the _quai_ were rather mocking.
+
+Suddenly, dark and smug, a swaying object which we had not observed till
+then, took monstrous form before our eyes and in it we recognized an old
+friend, the Channel boat _Elfrida_, which lay basking in the velvet
+shadows like a dozing cat and gently pulling on her cables. Why not? We
+did! Nothing prevented our going aboard but a sleepy guard, who was
+quickly consoled with a five-franc piece, and we made ourselves
+comfortable for the night on the yellow, velvet cushions in the
+captain's salon, behind the wheel-house.
+
+Who can assert that it has not all been arranged for us? Otherwise, I
+fear, our own poor efforts would land us too often in the mud.
+
+
+
+
+_November 10th, Tuesday._
+
+
+Left Calais at nine A. M. The sun was pouring its cheerful rays
+over the glorious land. It ought to be free--this smiling France!
+Wherever the eye rested were soldiers drilling, building, maneuvering
+and digging. Every few hundred yards the railroad was intersected by
+lines of trenches. These latter appeared to be about seven feet
+deep--cut true as a die into the ground and were braced with a lining of
+woven reeds, like basket work. The front wall of these trenches was
+crenated about every two feet, forming little niches for the soldiers
+and protection against flank shots. The poppies and corn flowers blowing
+over the edges were holding on for dear life to their tiny inch of soil
+and nearly obliterated those brutal gashes in the earth which had
+swallowed up their brothers and sisters. An unsuspecting army might well
+be lured into such a pleasant bear-trap.
+
+Train progress was very slow for we had to switch off continually to
+allow ammunition trains and troops to pass. All the railroad stations
+were packed with soldiers and grieving women, though there was nothing
+in the way of heroics in these leave-takings, just grim resolve on the
+faces of the men and silent sorrow on the lips of the women. It seemed
+as if clasped hands could not release each other and eyes held eyes in a
+long farewell. Husbands were tearing themselves from their wives;
+white-haired mothers were adding one word more of caution to their
+departing sons; and there were young boys, of perhaps the last class,
+who, touched at the moment to say _au revoir_, were yet eager to plunge
+out into the future. I shall never know how many last good-byes I
+witnessed this day.
+
+Train after train of cattle cars passed us, with a big cannon in the
+middle, three horses stabled in one end and three in the other. Along
+the road were several regiments of Indian troops--the _Girkhas_. They
+were tall, splendidly handsome men of fine features, light,
+chocolate-colored skin and brilliant, black eyes. They wore long, khaki
+coats, belted in like a Russian blouse, and khaki turbans and they waved
+their hands and smiled continually, showing flashing, white teeth. They
+were evidently well pleased with the turn of events which had led them
+to this wondrous, new world, where was plenty of opportunity for
+killing--this reputed trait, however, was quite belied by their amiable
+faces.
+
+About four P. M. (three hours yet to Paris) I was dead with
+fatigue and seeing so much. Also I had not had a bite to eat since eight
+A. M., having counted on a basket lunch on the road, or at
+least a solitary sandwich, but all the convenient station buffets have
+been closed up since the war and civilians are tacitly understood to
+look after themselves and not to bother the Government by racing
+needlessly over the country. But I do not think there were many making
+aimless journeys.
+
+Since noon the cars had been steadily filling up, until the compartments
+destined for ten persons were accommodating twenty, not including
+bundles, lapdogs, bandboxes and bird-cages--even then there was always
+room for one more. And nobody was indignant, but rather complacent and
+obliging, for had they not all sons at the front and the same great
+grief at heart? The conversation was general as to people and on one
+sole topic, the "War," including the strategic achievements of the
+French army, "Eux" (they, i.e., the Germans), and the marvellous
+qualities of their beloved General Joffre, affectionately termed
+"Grandpere" by the soldiers.
+
+And so we rolled slowly and more slowly on, packed like sardines, the
+removing of one meaning the displacement of all, as when one heedlessly
+snatches a potato from the middle of a bushel basket. But very few got
+down except the soldiers, the objective point for all being Paris.
+
+The twilight shadows were welcome, for they swallowed up all the
+phantasmagoria of the day and we relapsed into silence. It was one of
+those moments when Reality, or the fear of it, battles with our courage
+and each one grew thoughtful as he neared the great city, dreading to
+meet the spectre he feared.
+
+The wheels of the cars sang on in a hollow, monotonous tune, the windows
+rattled systematically and outraged brakes screeched at every recurrent
+jolt. Finally we saw a dim row of lights and a long, thin whistle from
+our engine told us that the journey was done. Again was that noticeable
+lack of excitement: everyone calmly took his personal belongings and
+prepared to get down when the guard, in an unimportant voice, should
+call out "_Paree_," which you would not hear if you were not listening.
+
+After the Customs, I was in a frenzy to get out into the street, to be
+welcomed back, as one always is here, and to be cheered and warmed by
+the bright lights--the flashing eyes of Paris. But the streets were dim,
+the shops and restaurants closed and few people circulating about. How
+different it all was! I felt like Rip van Winkle after his twenty-years'
+sleep, for at the apartment (I thought I had come to the wrong house)
+was a new concierge, young and pretty, replacing the old, white-haired
+one. Had we gone back twenty years instead? The rooms were empty--all my
+friends had disappeared, the dust was inches thick, the furniture pushed
+mostly into the middle of the rooms and some of the beds were gone.
+Thickly sprinkled over the floor of my room and on my bed were pieces of
+the window glass, broken like all the others in the house, by a German
+bomb which fell and exploded in front of the Prince of Monaco's house,
+two doors from us--not one hundred and fifty feet away. Half dazed, I
+dusted a place large enough for my hat and coat, extracted some clean
+linen from the closet and went to bed, sick at heart.
+
+
+
+
+_November 12th, Thursday._
+
+
+Paris! after a four days' tiring journey which in happier times takes
+only five hours. But it doesn't matter--it is home again. Anywhere is
+home which is out from under that yoke of infamous tyranny. I rage in
+proportion as the minutes separate me from this odious thing that closes
+its iron fingers around the necks of my friends.
+
+No! It is not to be borne. Let every man, woman and child on the earth
+rise up until we have right. Do I not know? Have I not experienced the
+mailed fist? And yet, how little in comparison to others; but it is
+enough.
+
+The concierge gave me coffee and rolls and I dressed quickly in order
+to get out into the street where I knew the dismal impression of the
+indoors would be dispelled by the habitual smile of the enchanted city.
+But the day was dull--the summit of the Eiffel Tower was hooded in a
+cloud of fog and a cold blast swept over the Place de La Concorde which
+froze me to the marrow. I kept on, however, somewhat protected by the
+arcades of the rue de Rivoli, expecting to see, at least, familiar faces
+in the shop-keepers of that gay, little Rialto--but the doors were all
+closed and the blinds down. One place was open--the art shop of the
+little, old, white-haired man with the twinkling eyes, who has sold me
+marvellous Venus de Milos, etc., times without number. I greeted him
+with real feeling and enthusiasm, for here was somebody I knew. He did
+not recognize me and stared dully, without answering, as one who is
+dazed; he was unshaven and dirty, his usually clear eye was lifeless and
+his face was thin and drawn. Could it be that he had not enough to eat,
+or was it despair? He must have had nephews and perhaps sons and
+grandsons at the front. But do the people who stay at home change like
+that? I went on--the Hotel Meurice was closed; the Continentale had a
+section open for the Red Cross; the Bristol was closed; the Ritz was
+made into an Ambulance; not a living soul on the Place Vendome. All the
+famous hat shops were closed--who would have a reason to buy hats? All
+the big dressmakers were closed and every jewelry shop but two in all
+that dazzling, brilliant rue de la Paix was closed. There were perhaps a
+dozen people on the Boulevards, a single taxicab crawled listlessly out
+of a side street, but not an omnibus to be seen. They, like all the
+world, had left for the "front" and will go down in history as having
+transferred the valiant French army in all haste to Victory on the
+Battlefield of the Marne.
+
+The only thing unchanged was the Opera, which stood there, in all its
+splendor, looking on at the grievous spectacle of Paris, in anguish.
+Will she live? Can she die? Is the burden of her woes too great? O,
+Beautiful City of Dreams! Some call you very wicked--you, whose brave
+smile has endured through all your sorrows. Is that so little? And the
+valor of your Sons--was it ever surpassed? Did one of the hundreds, one
+of the thousands, one of the millions, hesitate the fraction of an
+instant at your call?
+
+O, Paris! Inimitable Paris! with the death shadow on your lovely
+face....
+
+
+
+
+
+    +-----------------------------------------------+
+    |             Transcriber's Note:               |
+    |                                               |
+    | Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the  |
+    | original document have been preserved.        |
+    |                                               |
+    | Typographical errors corrected in the text:   |
+    |                                               |
+    | Page   9  interment changed to internment     |
+    | Page  52  officiers changed to officers       |
+    | Page  67  Kommandatur changed to Kommandantur |
+    | Page  74  wth changed to with                 |
+    | Page  93  pertubation changed to perturbation |
+    | Page  94  stupified changed to stupefied      |
+    | Page 115  gods changed to goods               |
+    | Page 126  Coblentz changed to Coblenz         |
+    +-----------------------------------------------+
+
+
+
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