im knouted. She
summoned her German valet, but he was busy buckling on his
_Feldwebel_ uniform. She ordered her French chauffeur to be ready to
start instantly; I went down to the garage with the message myself so
as to get away from her, and discovered that the fellow was a
reservist from Saint-Mihiel, and had left with Her Highness' car to
join his regiment.

"That morning for the first time, the Duchess and the Princess
condescended to notice the presence of James P. He had a magnificent
100 H.P. American car, and represented their only hope of getting
across the frontier. But James P. had no more petrol, and the Germans
refused to supply him with any, because his car had already been
earmarked for General von Schmack's Staff.

"The same evening these first three victims of the war sat and
childishly discussed the situation in an untidy room on a bed which
nobody came to make. Their telegrams were no longer forwarded, their
money was worthless, and the German servants in the sanatorium
treated them more as prisoners than as patients. It seemed as though
their fortune and their greatness had suddenly abandoned them at the
first breath of war, like a slender veil torn by the wind from a
woman's shoulders.

"James P. went to interview Dr. von Goeteburg, who answered him with
ironical politeness, and depicted the pitiable plight of a Germany
surrounded and attacked by a world of enemies. If, however, they were
willing to leave him the princess's pearl necklace as security, he
would consent to lend them the few marks they needed to cross the
frontier.

"Towards midnight I entered the room where this Twilight of the Gods
was drawing to an end, and saw an astounding spectacle. The Duchess
of Broadfield and Princess Uriassof were attempting to pack their own
trunks. Their lack of experience was only too conspicuous. In every
corner there lay hats which had been crushed by their clumsy
attempts; the badly folded dresses swelled awkwardly and refused with
disgraceful obstinacy to allow the Princess to lock her trunks.
Vanquished at last by the stress of events against which she was
contending for the first time in her life, she sat down on a
portmanteau and burst into tears. The Duchess, who came of a less
fatalistic race, was still struggling, aided by James P., with two
rebellious valises.

"I went and called Sister Therese, and with her made ready for their
departure. Hoping that England would declare war, I informe