"No, absolutely not, when the French were already in Belgium before France declared war on Germany. And even supposing they were not there, Germany would still be right in forcing her way through--it's a case of the survival of the fittest. He's a nice fool that King of the Belgians! He had simply to allow the Germans through, and he would have been well paid for it by William. Old Leopold would not have been so silly." "There you are right," I said, "he probably would have sold his country." "Now, Jerry, don't be impertinent! Anything you say now will be used against you if England declares war on us. Don't forget you're our prisoner then." * * * * * When the declaration of war did come it sobered us somewhat! The Princess quickly recovered and said---- "Why do you worry about it, Jerry? It's not a matter between you and me, but between Grey and Berchtold--let them scratch each other's eyes out if they like. After all, I'm not sure that I'm so angry with them, for it means that now you've got to remain here indefinitely--nolens volens. I am very glad, for it will be fearfully dull here without our usual big shooting parties. And now come and play bridge." That was the way in which the Princess looked at it all the time. It was impossible for me to persuade her that to have an enemy alien in the house might be very unpleasant for her: she could never see why, though England and Germany hated each other so cordially, she and I could not remain the good friends we had always been and live peacefully in the same house. * * * * * It was very easy for us to disagree, for, after a course of the _Neue Freie Presse_, the _Neues Wiener Tagblatt_ and the _Berliner Tagblatt_, with the exception of myself and the servants--the majority of whom were Slavs--the inmates of Schloss K---- were soon convinced that it was England that had been behind the whole conflagration: that jealous of Germany's dangerously increasing foreign trade, she sought to cripple it by a war, and accordingly it was at England's suggestion that Russia bribed the Serbs to assassinate the Archduke--an event which the Entente felt would certainly force Germany's hand.... "We are not strong enough to do anything ourselves, and Germany is the one hope of our existence. What can one do if one is so poor and so divided as we are? Oh, but Willy will save us--a plucky dashing fellow who will teach you all a lesson. You will shed bitter tears in England yet." "We shall see, when the war is over, who will laugh and who will cry," I would reply. IX--THE ROMANCE OF MARISCHA