"Yes," he said; "I had not thought of it; but I suppose a war between Austria and Servia _will_ affect Germany more or less. Only I was hoping the Powers would interfere and stop it." "It seems it cannot be stopped," said Bloem, gloomily. "Russia is mobilizing to assist Servia. Austria is Germany's ally, and so Germany must come to her aid. Unless Russia stops her mobilization, we shall declare war against her. Our army has already been called to the colors." Stewart breathed a little deeper. "But perhaps Russia will desist when she realizes her danger," he suggested. "She must know she is no match for Germany." "She does know it," Bloem agreed; "but she also knows that she will not fight alone. It is not against Russia we are mobilizing--it is against France." "Against France?" echoed the other. "But surely----" "Do not speak so loud, I beg of you," Bloem cautioned. "What I am telling you is not yet generally known--perhaps the dreadful thing we fear will not happen, after all. But France is Russia's ally--she will be eager for war--for forty years she has been preparing for this moment." "Yes," agreed Stewart, smiling, "I have heard of '_là revanche_'; I have seen the mourning wreaths on the Strassburg monument. I confess," he added, "that I sympathize with France's dream of regaining her lost provinces. So do most Americans. We are a sentimental people." "I, too, sympathize with that dream," said Bloem, quickly, "or at least I understand it. So do many Germans. We have come to realize that the seizure of Alsace and Lorraine, however justified by history, was in effect a terrible mistake. We should have been generous in our hour of triumph--that way lay a chance of friendship with a people whose pride remained unbroken by disaster. Instead, we chose to heap insults upon a conquered foe, and we have reaped a merited reward of detestation. Ironically enough, those provinces which cost us so much have been to us a source of weakness, not of strength. We have had to fortify them, to police them, to hold them in stern repression. Even yet, they must be treated as conquered ground. You do not know--you cannot realize--what that means!" He stared out gloomily into the night. "I have served there," he added, hoarsely. There was something in his tone which sent a shiver across Stewart's scalp, as though he had found himself suddenly at the brink of a horrible abyss into which he dared not turn his eyes. He fancied he could see in his companion's somber face the stirring of ghastly memories, of tragic experience---- "But since France has not yet declared war," he said at last, "surely you will wait----" "Ah, my friend," Bloem broke in, "we cannot afford to wait. We must strike quickly and with all our strength. There is no secret as to Germany's plan--France must be crushed under a mighty blow before she can defend herself; after that it will be Russia's turn." "And after that?"