Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXI. Sunday the First of November
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
346 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
ten people seated round Crown Prince Rupprecht’s table.
Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg sat at the Emperor’s
right, and Prince Löwenstein at his left. Right opposite the
Emperor sat the Crown Prince—the host—with Colonel-
General von Plessen, Adjutant-General, at his right and my-
self at his left. Next to me on the other side was Lieut.
-
General von Marschall, with Colonel Tappen, of the Crown
Prince’s staff, on his left. To the left of Prince Löwenstein
sat General Falkenhayn, Minister of War, and between him
and General von Plessen the chief of the Crown Prince’s staff,
General Krafft von Dellmensingen. At another table of about
the same size, covers had been laid for the other gentlemen of
the Emperor’s and Crown Prince’s staff and suite.
The Emperor was in brilliant spirits. I really do not know
whether he can be otherwise, for whenever I have had the
honour to meet him, he has always been merry, amiable and
witty. He can certainly express at times in words of thunder
his displeasure at some contemptible act on the part of the
enemy, but he is soon sunshine again and bursts into irresistible
laughter at some whimsical idea. He has a wonderful gift of
instilling life into a party and keeping the conversation at
high pitch—as he did here for over two and a half hours.
He told us a great deal of most interesting news, things which
had happened in different parts of the field during the last
few days and which, at least to me and to the Duke, were
news indeed. If one asks the Emperor any question about the
conditions in more or less remote countries, as to which sparse
or contradictory information has come to one’s ears, he will,
off-hand, and with a masterly marshalling of facts, deliver a
veritable lecture on its internal and external policy, its public
sentiments, its resources, and its military strength. I think
I have never met a man who can rival Emperor William in
this respect.
He also possesses the faculty of grasping with lightning
quickness and judging the opinions expressed by others. He
listened with the liveliest interest to Crown Prince Rupprecht
as the latter gave him various details about his army, and to
me when I described the bombardment of Ostend.
It was past half-past ten when the Emperor laid down his
cigar and rose to say good-bye with that vigorous hand-shake
which leaves its mark on one’s knuckles. The Crown Prince
alone accompanied him out into the hall, which immediately
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
