as twenty-two people killed and wounded; as usual, all
women, children, and old men.

CHAPTER VI

THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE

_Paris, Monday, October 12th._ In writing about the German, Austrian,
and Hungarian subjects of whom we have had charge, I have spoken of
them _en masse_. In reality there have been many cases in whom I have
been personally interested and to whose safety I have given much time.
Their history alone would fill a book. One of these is the case of the
Countess X., member of an old and powerful Hungarian family.

The Count, her husband, was desperately ill in Paris when the war
broke out and he was kept alive only through the devoted care of his
wife. We arranged with the French authorities that the Countess might
remain in Paris with her husband, although all other Hungarian people
were, without exception, being shipped off to detention camps. Later
the Countess twice received notice from the Prefecture that she was to
be immediately imprisoned, and each time by enlisting the personal
assistance of Ambassador Herrick I managed to have the decree delayed.

The children of the family, of whom there were seven under ten years
of age, were living at a chateau on the French coast, at Paris-Plage,
near Boulogne. When the German army began to sweep towards the coast
in a seemingly irresistible flood, the Countess came to me to say how
fearful she felt for the safety of her children, left in the care of
servants and governesses. Yesterday, when the fall of Antwerp was
confirmed and when even the official announcements went so far as to
talk of fighting in the neighborhood of Arras, she came again. I went
to Mr. Herrick and asked if I might be allowed to go to the coast and
bring the children back to Paris. The permission was the more readily
granted because there were several other errands to be done in the
same direction, notably to carry communications to our Consular Agent
in Amiens, who had remained in that city during the German occupation
and from whom little had since been heard.

The necessary permits have been obtained and these will incidentally
allow me to see something of the front on my way north. I expect to
leave this evening.

Two machines will be needed to bring back the children and their
attendants. There are several young Americans who have given their
services and the use of their private automobiles for Embassy service.
On all previous expeditions I have been conducted by M