Greece and the Allies, 1914-1922Abbott, G. F. (George Frederick)
History
Greece and the Allies, 1914-1922
Abbott, G. F. (George Frederick)
Greece -- Foreign relations; Greece -- Politics and government -- 1913-1917; World War, 1914-1918 -- Greece
A crowd remained on guard all night long. About 4.30 a.m. a motor car
was seen drawing up at a side entrance of the Palace. The crowd
recognized the King's chauffeur and guessed that he had come for the
King and the royal family, who presently appeared at the door. The
guardsmen threw themselves on the ground as much as to say that the
vehicle must pass over their bodies. The King and royal family
withdrew, and the car went away empty. Two other attempts to leave the
Palace proved equally unsuccessful. The crowd would not let any door
be opened. Compact and silent, it mounted guard.
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So passed the night; and the morning (12 June) dawned on the faithful
men and women who watched by the Palace. The churches again began to
toll funeral peals, and again thousands began flowing in the same
direction: the whole town through all its streets--mournful groups,
soon waxing to mournful multitudes, and other multitudes, streamed on.
From an early hour the Palace was again entirely surrounded:
"We will not let you go," they shouted. "We want our King!"
This was the answer the people made to the farewell message which the
King had caused to be posted at the street corners: "Obeying necessity,
and performing my duty towards Greece, I am departing from my beloved
country with my heir, leaving my son Alexander on the throne. I beg
you to accept my decision with serenity, trusting to God, whose
blessing I invoke on the nation. And that this sacrifice may not be in
vain, I adjure all of you, if you love God, if you love your country,
if, lastly, you love me, not to make any disturbance, but to remain
submissive. The least disorder, even if prompted by a lofty sentiment,
may to-day lead to the most terrible disasters. At this moment the
greatest solace for the Queen and myself lies in the affection and
devotion which you have always shown to us, in the happy days as in the
unhappy. May God protect Greece.--Constantine R." [25] Motionless and
silent groups read this message; but the crowd outside the Palace went
on crying, monotonously: "No! No!" and "He mustn't go!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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