swung past the sentries and through the big Neptune Gate of the _Schloss_ almost unnoticed. Now instinctively certain of the nature of Bethmann Hollweg’s errand, Tower and I made our way to the _Lustgarten_, since early morning an endless vista of faces stretching nearly all the way from the Dom to the Brandenburg Gate end of _Unter den Linden_, a mile to the west. We felt sure that the universally awaited Order of Mobilization might be momentarily expected. As events developed, that was the document which we had seen the Chancellor taking to the Kaiser. It was six o’clock. The doleful chimes of the Cathedral across from the Castle were summoning the people to the service of intercession ordained by the Emperor earlier in the day. Solemnity hung over the multitude like a pall. Men and women knew now that Russia’s answer, or lack of answer, whichever it might be, meant war, not peace. They had not long to wait for confirmatory news. As soon as word was telephoned to the Wolff Agency, the official news bureau, that the Imperial signature had at length been officially given--that the sword was now, literally and beyond recall, "forced" into William II’s hands--the newspapers, which had had sufficient advance information for their purposes, drenched the capital with _Extrablätter_ containing the fateful tidings: +−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+ | | | "UNIVERSAL MOBILIZATION OF THE | | GERMAN ARMY AND NAVY!" | | | +−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+ Another two lines explained, breathlessly, that an order to that effect had just been promulgated by the Supreme War Lord. The twelve-hour period which Germany had granted to Russia for "the making of a loyal declaration" had been ignored. To-morrow, added the chief announcement in the most portentous _Extrablatt_ a German newspaper ever issued, would be the first mobilization day. All Sunday, Monday and Tuesday the _Furor Teutonicus_ would be busy donning shining armor. The deed was done. "Gentlemen," the Kaiser is said to have remarked to Moltke, Falkenhayn and the rest of the military clique, after affixing his signature to the document which meant not only mobilization, but war, "you will live to regret this."