During the first days of the war, and the ensuing unprecedented situation, before the horror of it had become uppermost, many were the incidents of awkwardness whispered from ear to ear. Berne being a small capital, certain sets in it meet daily, and the Diplomatic Corps assumes almost the aspect of a "vie de famille." Many of its members were on intimate terms, friends often of years' standing, when the curtain descended on the old order of things on those fateful August days of 1914. One night perchance the French were dining with their Austrian colleagues, or the British with the Germans, and the next morning were to meet as strangers. The situation seemed unreal and impossible, and naturally led to much groping and questionings to find a new "modus vivendi." In one case a Minister's wife meeting her Austrian colleague, whom the day before she had called by her Christian name, would be at a loss to know what to do, the result culminating on both sides in a half-nod with averted eyes; or an Allied caller at a Swiss house would unavoidably come face to face with a new enemy—an erstwhile familiar friend. Such incidents were at first of daily occurrence. I remember one especially, more humorously long drawn out. An Allied Military Attaché was calling on Swiss friends, when the servant came in, and, with a perplexed look, whispered something in the ear of the hostess. "Be quick," said the latter to her Allied caller, "the servant has said I am in; but if you go through my boudoir here to the left, you will escape an awkward meeting." The caller, following directions, tiptoed through the boudoir to a door leading to a passage, but only to find himself confronted by the Austrian Military Attaché, who, conducted by the no less tactful servant, had also made the same détour. The Allied caller, quickly closing the door with the hope that he had not been recognized, retraced his steps to fly by the usual entrance—only to meet his new enemy again. This time escape was impossible, the Austrian ejaculating: "Well, Colonel, bad luck this time!" at which both laughed and passed on.