A Journal From Our Legation in BelgiumGibson, Hugh
History
A Journal From Our Legation in Belgium
Gibson, Hugh
Belgium -- History -- German occupation, 1914-1918
In the course of some errands this afternoon, I dropped in on Baronne
Lambert for a cup of tea. The Baron came in and then Villalobar. About
two minutes later, Lambert was called out of the room to speak with a
German officer, who demanded that he accompany him to headquarters.
Villalobar went with him to see what was up, and I stayed behind to see
if I could be of any use. We stood by for a little over half an hour,
and then when Mme. Lambert could stand it no longer, I jumped in my car
and went down to see what was happening. I found Villalobar on the
sidewalk, getting into his car. He was depressed and said that he had
been obliged to leave the Baron with the Germans; that he was suspected
of nobody would say what, and that the Germans were going to search the
house. I went back and had them all ready for the shock of the invasion.
They were standing by for the search party, when in walked the Baron,
smiling broadly. They had sent him home under guard of two armed men,
and were to search the house in the course of a few minutes. While he
was telling about it, two officers arrived, profusely apologetic, and
asked to be shown over the Red Cross hospital, which had been installed
on the ground floor. They were taken all through the place, and found
only a lot of German soldiers carrying off the beds and other
belongings. Then they searched the Baron's private office and that of
his son, and withdrew after more excuses.
There was nothing to show for the whole performance, and nothing had
been accomplished beyond making a lot of people nervous and
apprehensive. That is the sort of thing that everybody is subject to
these days, without any hope of redress. And, of course, this was the
least serious thing that could happen.
* * * * *
_On board S.S. "Princess Juliana," off Dover, Sunday, October 19,
1914._--Here we are again, coming into England in rain and fog. Up to
the last minute, I was in great doubt as to whether we should come at
all, but everything was finally straightened out and here we are.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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