, 1914-15_. Of the remaining essays, some have appeared
in various English and American periodicals; others are now printed in
translation for the first time.

I have also had M. Maeterlinck's leave to include in this volume his
first published work, _The Massacre of the Innocents_. This powerful
sketch in the Flemish manner saw the light originally in the
_Pleiade_, in 1886, and may at the present time, to use the author's
own words in a note to myself, be regarded as "a sort of vague
symbolic prophecy." An English version by Mrs. Edith Wingate Rinder
was printed in the _Dome_ in 1899; another has since been issued by an
English and by an American firm of publishers; but the only authorized
translation to appear in book form is that now added as an epilogue to
_The Wrack of the Storm_.

ALEXANDER TEIXEIRA DE MATTOS.

CHELSEA, 1916.

CONTENTS

PAGE

AUTHOR'S PREFACE 5

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE 7

I AFTER THE VICTORY 11

II KING ALBERT 21

III THE HOSTAGE CITIES 31

IV TO SAVE FOUR CITIES 37

V PRO PATRIA: I 45

VI HEROISM 59

VII PRO PATRIA: II 75

VIII PRO PATRIA: III 89

IX BELGIUM'S FLAG DAY 109

X ON THE DEATH OF A LITTLE SOLDIER 117

XI THE HOUR OF DESTINY 131

XII IN ITALY 147

XIII ON REREADING THUCYDIDES 161

XIV THE DEAD DO NOT DIE 179

XV IN MEMORIAM 191

XVI SUPERNATURAL COMMUNICATIONS IN WAR-TIME 197

XVII EDITH CAVELL 217

XVIII THE LIFE OF THE DEAD 229

XIX THE WAR AND THE PROPHETS 241

XX THE WILL OF EARTH 257

XXI FOR POLAND 271

XXII THE MIGHT OF THE DEAD 279

XXIII WHEN THE WAR IS OVER 291

XXIV THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS