A Diplomatic Diary (Electronic book text)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3be ready for anything of the sort, a barricade has been made of heavy tramcars placed at right angles across the road, so that they do not absolutely stop traffic, but compel motors to slow down and pick their way thus: It is close work getting through, and can only be done at a snail's pace. The latest news we have is that the nearest large German force is just 38 miles away from Brussels. textit{Brussels, August 13, 1914. Last night, after dining late, I went out to find my friend, Colonel Fairholme, and see if he had any news. He had just finished his day's work and wanted some air. Fortunately I had the car along and so took him out for a spin to the end of the Avenue Louise. We walked back, followed by the car, and had a nightcap at the Porte de Namur. The Colonel has been going to Louvain every day, to visit the General Staff and report to the King as the military representative of an ally. The first time he arrived in a motor with General de Selliers de Moran- ville, the Chief of Staff. As they drew into the square in front of the headquarters, they saw that everything was in confusion and that a crowd was gathered to watch arrivals and departures. When their car stopped, a large thug, mistaking him for a German officer, reached in and dealt him a smashing blow on the mouth with his fist, calling him a "sal alboche by way of good measure. He had to go in and report to the King, streaming with blood a pleasant beginning. He is just getting back to a point where he can t eat with ease and comfort. Life will be easier for some of the attaches when people get used to khaki uniforms and learn that some do not cover Germans. The day the General Staff left for the front the Colonel went to see them off. He was called by one of the high officers who wa...