There is a sequel to the story ... for on the afternoon of that
unhappy day Madame X and ten other society ladies of Amiens at
different times heard a ring at their doors and saw that same
individual, in full regalia, booted and spurred, enter their drawing
rooms. He came to call on them, to pay his respects, as if it were the
most natural thing in the world that he should be there in that
costume. They all had to restrain the feeling of disgust and anger
this spy aroused in their breasts. It was for the sake of the safety
of their homes, for the lives that were dear to them, that they did
this. And he, entirely unconscious in his vileness, was suave and
polite, played the man about town, recalled one thing or another,
mentioned dances and parties....
So we once more find justification for the famous definition of German
contained in Schopenhauer's famous phrase: "The German is remarkable
for the absolute lack of that feeling which the Latins call
'verecundia'--sense of shame."
The essence of this feeling which is found among the most savage
peoples is entirely lacking in the Teutonic race. And once more we
find an abominable ambush placed for French culture, good faith and
generosity.
This is not an isolated incident. When the whole truth is known, there
will be even more surprised indignation felt than there is at present.
Inquiries will have to be made. It will be necessary to know why the
enemy, in certain places, has rushed in as if he came out of a trap
door. It will be necessary to know why, in certain ravaged districts,
some houses have been entirely destroyed and others carefully spared.
It will be necessary to know why tennis courts have been put in
certain places and why certain masses of rhododendrons have been
planted in certain parks....
For we know that the tennis courts have helped the Germans carry out
their schemes, and that the flower beds have had a place in the
machinery of war they were developing, which they kept alive until
they were at our gates. A tennis match seems a mere nothing--something
very innocent in the way of pleasure, far from being war-like. And
then, one fine day the discovery is made that the tennis court has a
foundation of reinforced concrete twenty centimeters thick, fit to
support a house six stories high and, consequently, a heavy gun!
A clump of rhododendrons is very lovely, something very gracious,
charming, most poetic. And one day the discovery is made that the
clump conceals a platform set in concrete on which an entire battery
can be aligned.
All that will have to be investigated. All that will have to be
stopped.... And it makes another reason why it is necessary to fight
today, to fight to the death. For these Germans will understand the
inanity of their Machiavellian scheming and of their spy system only
when they shall see these methods fall to pieces, when they shall see
their system fail absolutely.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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