Von Nerf shrugged his shoulders. “It is doubtful,” was his reply. “What could they do in their situation?” I had come to von Nerf with von Papen’s letter of introduction, to ask for assistance in reaching Germany. Accordingly he arranged for my passage, and soon I was on a train bound for Milan and Kufstein, where I was to change for the train to Munich. At that time the German consuls were paying the passage of thousands of Germans who wished to leave Italy for service in the army. The train on which I traveled was full of these volunteers, who later disembarked at Kufstein, on the Austro-German border, to report to the military authorities there. At Munich we passed some wounded who were being taken from the front—the first real glimpse of the war that I had had. There was little evidence of any war-feeling in the Bavarian capital; restaurants were crowded, and everyone was light-hearted and confident of victory. I saw few signs of any hatred there, or elsewhere during my stay in Germany. All that there was was directed against England; France was universally respected, and I heard only expressions of regret that she was in the war. On the train from Munich to Berlin I had the first good meal I had eaten in several weeks. It was good to sit down to something besides miles of spaghetti and indigestible anchovies. And the price was only two marks—for that was long before the days of the Food Controller and $45 ham. Berlin was filled with Austrian officers, some of them belonging to motor batteries—the famous ’32’s—which had been built before the war in the Krupp factories, not for Germany—for that would have occasioned additional armaments on the part of France—but by Austria, who could increase her strength without suspicion. The city, always martial in appearance, had changed less than one would have expected. There, too, the restaurants were filled; in particular the Piccadilly, which had been rechristened the Fatherland, and was enjoying an exceptional popularity in consequence. One was wise to go early if he wished to secure a table there; and that fortunate person could see the dining-room filled with happy crowds, eating and drinking, and applauding vociferously when _Die Wacht am Rhein_ or some other patriotic air was played.