of Garde Civique as a measure of
protection against violence. We drew up, signed, and sealed a protocol
accepting what is known as _la garde des clefs et des sceaux_, until
such time as definite arrangements might be made. The Minister and von
Stumm were nearly unstrung. They had been under a great strain for some
days and were making no effort to get their belongings together to take
them away. They sat on the edge of their chairs, mopped their brows and
smoked cigarettes as fast as they could light one from another. I was
given a lot of final instructions about things to be done--and all with
the statement that they should be done at once, as the German army would
doubtless be in Brussels in three days. While we were talking, the
chancellor of the Legation, Hofrat Grabowsky, a typical white-haired
German functionary, was pottering about with sealing wax and strips of
paper, sealing the archives and answering questions in a deliberate and
perfectly calm way. It was for all the world like a scene in a play.
The shaded room, the two nervous diplomats registering anxiety and
strain, the old functionary who was to stay behind to guard the archives
and refused to be moved from his calm by the approaching cataclysm. It
seemed altogether unreal, and I had to keep bringing myself back to a
realisation of the fact that it was only too true and too serious.

They were very ominous about what an invasion means to this country, and
kept referring to the army as a steam roller that will leave nothing
standing in its path. Stumm kept repeating: "Oh, the poor fools! Why
don't they get out of the way of the steam roller. We don't want to hurt
them, but if they stand in our way they will be ground into the dirt.
Oh, the poor fools!"

The Government had a special train ready for the German diplomatic and
consular officers who were to leave, and they got away about seven. Now,
thank goodness, they are safely in Holland and speeding back to their
own country.

Before leaving, Below gave out word that we would look after German
interests, and consequently we have been deluged with frightened people
ever since.

All the Germans who have remained here seem to be paralysed with fright,
and have for the most part taken refuge in convents, schools, etc. There
are several hundreds of them in the German Consulate-General which has
been provisioned as for a siege. Popular feeling is, of course, running
high against them, and there may be incid