for the English
Protestant chaplains, and for those of any other faith, if there are
enough of them to form a congregation of a certain size. But this has
not brought peace. In England, as you know, only some foolish people
allow their political disputes to interfere with their private
friendships, or with their amusements. But in Belgium the Catholics
and the Liberals never forget their differences. It is like the time
when the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. There are Catholic
football clubs and Liberal football clubs; the public-houses are
either Catholic or Liberal; and even children are taught at school to
have feelings of this sort. One day a small girl was asked out to tea
with some English children. When the hour came, her mother found her
crying, and asked her what was the matter. "I'm afraid," she sobbed,
"to go and play with these little heretics!"

[Illustration: WATERLOO: THE FARM OF LA BELLE ALLIANCE AND THE MOUND
SURMOUNTED BY THE BELGIAN LION.]

The great quarrel is about education. The Liberals want to make a law
that all children must go to school, but the Catholics will not agree
to this. The priests have so much influence, and work so hard at
the elections, that, except in Brussels, Liege, and a few more places,
the people are frightened to vote against them. So there has always
been a Catholic Government in power for the last twenty-five years.

The Great Powers, when they allowed the Belgians to have their own way
and choose a King for themselves, took Belgium under their protection,
and made it a "neutral state"--that is to say, a country which may not
be attacked or entered by the armies of other nations which are
fighting each other, and which is not permitted to make war on other
countries. This was a great blessing for the Belgians, because their
country is so small and weak, and so many battles used to be fought in
it that it was called "the cock-pit of Europe." But whether the people
of a neutral state are ever likely to be brave and self-sacrificing is
another thing.

CHAPTER XV

THE BELGIAN ARMY: THE CONGO

Though Belgium is a neutral state, living under the protection of the
Great Powers of Europe, the Belgians are afraid that some day, if
these Powers quarrel with each other and begin to fight, armies may
march into their country and turn it once more into a battle-field; or
perhaps one of the Powers may wish to take a part of Belgium, or some
Belgian town, such