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344 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
cerned. " It is a German airman," the Duke whispers into
my ear, and he told me afterwards that one soon learnt to
distinguish French from German aeroplanes—by their sound.
The German machines have a duller note.
On returning home I called in as usual to see M. Cossart
and MdUes. Lengagne, and sat and chatted with them for
half an hour. They had been greatly upset on hearing that
large numbers of the male population of Bapaume had been
carried away into captivity in Germany, but on enquiring into
the matter I was able to assure them that at most only a
hundred were in question, who were considered of military
age and had therefore been taken away to be interned ; they
would return after the war in unimpaired health and strength.
Then I told them about the incidents of the day, the High
Mass and the music in the market place. They themselves
had not been out of doors ; they would not go out—they
would not hear the Prussian music in Bapaume ! What could
I say to console them ? How can one console people who see
their countryside occupied by hostile armies ? It could not
cheer them to hear the latest news from the theatres of war
—
about Hindenburg’s fresh advances in Poland, and the doings
of the Turkish fleet in the Black Sea ! And if I did say any-
thing of the kind they simply would not believe it. I felt very
sorry for them—just as I did for Faidherbe, out there in the
market place !
But it was now nearly seven o’clock, so I crossed the street
to call for the Duke. We were to drive to Douai, where we
were invited to take supper at 8 p.m. with the Chief of the
6th Army, Colonel-General Rupprecht, Crown Prince of
Bavaria. The distance is nearly thirty-four kilometres and
can easily be covered in three-quarters of an hour, but the
numerous posts stationed on the road took up much of our
time. It was five minutes to eight when we arrived. An
adjutant conducted us to a drawing-room, and we had not
waited half a minute when the Crown Prince entered.
He is one of those rare men whom all love and admire—all
except the English, for I think that even the French cannot
help paying him a meed of respect. In the German army he
is looked upon as a very eminent general—a bom strategist
and a thoroughly schooled soldier. As regards appearance,
manner and speech, he is fascinating and congenial in the
highest degree, neither regal nor humble, but without artifice
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