"Well yes, dear, I have. _Terrible_ low spirits and all swimmy-like. Thought I was going to faint. But this man here has been so kind "--her tears flowed afresh--"We've bin talking of old times; he used to know me before--" _Vivie_: "Quite so. But I think, dear, we had better be going back. I want to talk to you about the new rooms I've seen. Are you equal to walking? If not perhaps this kind man would try to get us a cab...?" But Mrs. Warren said it was no distance, only round the corner, and she could well walk. When they got back she would go and lie down. Vivie, reading her mother's thoughts, pressed a five-franc note into the gardener's not reluctant palm, and they regained the Rue Royale. But just as they were passing through the revolving door of the Hotel Imperial, a German who had been installed as manager came up with two soldiers and said explosively: "Heraus! Foutez-nous le camp! Aout you go! Don't show your face here again!" "But," said Vivie, "our notice doesn't expire till the end of this week...!" "Das macht nichts. The rooms are wanted and I won't have you on the premises. Off you go, or these soldiers shall take you both round to the Kommandantur." "But our luggage? _Surely_ you will let me go up to our room and pack it--and take it away? We..." "Your luggage has been packed and is in the corridor. If you send round for it, it shall be delivered to your messenger. But you are not to stop on the premises another minute. You understand?" he almost shrieked. "But--" For answer, the soldiers took them by the shoulders and whirled them through the revolving door on to the pavement, where a crowd began to collect, as it does in peace or war if you cough twice or sneeze three times in Brussels. "Englische Hure! Englische Kuepplerin," shouted the soldiers as they retreated and locked the revolving door. Mrs. Warren turned purple and swayed. Vivie caught her round the waist with her strong arm.... Thus was Mrs. Warren ejected from the once homely inn which she had converted by her energy, management and capital into the second most magnificent hostelry of Brussels; thus was Vivie expelled from the place of her birth.... Hearing the shouting and seeing the crowd a Belgian gendarme came up. To him Vivie said, "Si vous etes Chretien et pas Allemand--" "Prenez garde, Madame," he said warningly--"Vous m'aiderez a porter ma mere a quelqu' endroit ou elle peut se remettre..."