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6 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
good-bye. All are cheerful, they chat and laugh. There is
no weeping and complaining, it is the great day of joy, when
every able-bodied man goes to do his duty for the welfare of
his country.
My carriage is filled with officers. They are engaged in
very animated conversation ; they do not care what is going
on around them ; they don’t look out of the window and don’t
allow themselves to be disturbed by the bustle and crush in
the corridor. They talk about the affairs of their units and
regiments, about the equipment of the troops and the departure
for foreign parts. They discuss Hindenburg’s victories and
give vent to their admiration for him. The cares and solemnity
of war do not rest heavily on these men ; they are animated by
a glad longing and sure feeling of victory, and without knowing
them one realises that they have staked their lives and their
existence on one single goal. About the result they have no
doubt. They must win, otherwise their country is lost.
But the hours speed away, dusk settles down over Branden-
burg, and soon the earth is wrapped in darkness. The carriages
are not lighted—I don’t know why. As we approach Berlin
it is dark within, but outside there are rows of electric lamps
lighting up the interior of the carriage in a fantastic manner.
The train stops at Stettiner Bahnhof. On the platform
there is the same busy hum and bustle as in peace time.
A whole crowd of Gepäckträger hurry to the window to
receive the passengers’ luggage—one notices no lack of men.
A policeman hands out numbered cab-discs, the heavy lug-
gage is got out in a twinkling, and up one jumps into one of
the numberless taxicabs ranged outside and drives off to
one’s hotel.
I am an old customer at the Kaiserhof, but this time I was
told that I ought to stay in Unter den Linden in order to be
able to study at my leisure from a balcony the endless pro-
cessions of patriots, who, especially at night, file down the
road with proud bearing, singing patriotic songs. I therefore
chose the Hotel Bristol. Its name has been removed from
the large illuminated sign facing the street. Bristol—this
name reminded one too much of England’s faithlessness to-
wards her Teutonic kinsmen ! Only the first letter remained,
to be interpreted as one might wish.
The hotel was only half full. Most of the visitors were
Scandinavians and Americans. It was just as well that there
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