A Journal From Our Legation in BelgiumGibson, Hugh
History
A Journal From Our Legation in Belgium
Gibson, Hugh
Belgium -- History -- German occupation, 1914-1918
Colonel Fairholme left for the front, with the King, early in the
morning, and was with him during the battle at Malines. He thought we
were going back during the day, as I had told him the evening before.
About noon he called up from the telephone and told Sir Francis that
under no circumstances was I to be allowed to start, as the town was
being bombarded with heavy siege pieces and all traffic was absolutely
stopped; that we could not only not get by, but that any part of the
trip by the regular road was extremely dangerous. I was just as glad
that we had decided to stay over. The Colonel stayed out all that night
and had not returned to Antwerp when we left yesterday. During the
morning he called up again and asked about us, again advising against
our starting. Pretty decent of a man who has as much to think of as he
had to be worrying about us enough to take time to telephone us as to
the dangers of the road.
During the evening bad news came in from France, and everybody was down
in the mouth. The French Minister came in and told me what he had
received. Everybody was plainly worried, and altogether things looked
pretty dismal. We sat around a little while and then decided for a good
night's sleep.
To make sure of offering no unnecessary chances for Mr. Zeppelin the
authorities had ordered all the lights on the streets put out at eight
o'clock. It was dark as midnight and there was no use in thinking of
venturing out into the town. The Cathedral clock was stopped and the
carillon turned off for the first time in heaven only knows how many
years. It was a city of the dead. Guns were posted in the streets ready
for instant use in case the airship should put in another appearance. As
a result of this and the searchlights that played upon the sky all
night, our friend the enemy did not appear. Some people know when they
have had enough.
Yesterday morning I looked out of my window at the Cathedral clock, and
saw that it was twenty-five minutes to ten. I tumbled through my tub,
and rushed downstairs to get through my morning's work, only to find
that it was half-past six. I had forgotten that the Cathedral clock had
been stopped.
It was just as well that I was up early, however, for there was plenty
to be done. I found a lot of telegrams waiting for me at the Consulate,
and had to get off another string of them. Then an orderly held me up on
the street to tell me that the King's Secretary was hunting for me all
over the place, and that I was wanted at the Palace. When I got there,
he had started off on another hunt for me. He finally got me at the
hotel, and kept me for half an hour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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