CHAPTER XLI

TRAITORS

And now I see people gathering round the Germans as they come to a halt at the end of the Avenue. I see people stroking the horses' heads, and old men and young men smiling and bowing, and a few minutes later, inside the restaurant of my hotel, I witness those extraordinary encounters between the Germans and their spies. I hear the clink of gold, and see the passing of big German notes, and I watch the flushed faces of Antwerp men who are holding note-books over the tables to the German officers, and drinking beer with them, to the accompaniment of loud riotous laughter. That is the note struck in the first hour of the German entrance; and that is the note all the time as far as the German-Anversois are concerned. Before very long I discover that there must have been hundreds of people hiding away inside those silent houses, waiting for the Germans to come in. The horror of it makes me feel physically ill.

The procession comes to a standstill at last in front of a little green square by the Athene, and next moment a group of grey-clad officers with roses in their tunics are hurrying towards the hotel, and begin parleying with Monsieur Claude, our proprietor.

I expected to see him icily resolute against receiving them. But to my surprise he seems affable. He smiles. He waves his hand as he talks. He is eager, deferential, and quite unmistakably friendly, friendly even to the point of fawning. Turning, he flings open his doors with a bow, and in a few minutes the Germans are crowding into his great restaurants.

Cries of "Bier" resounded on all sides.

Outside, on the walls of the Theatre Flamand, the Huns are at it already with their endless proclamations.

"_EINWOHNER VON ANTWERPEN!_

"Das deutsche Heer betritt Euere Stadt als Sieger. Keinem Euerer Mitbürger wird ein Leid geschehen und Euer Eigentum wird geschont werden, wenn ihr Euch jeder Feindseligkeit enthaltet.

"Jede Widersetzlichkeit dagegen wird nach Kriegsrecht bestraft und kann die Zerstörung Euerer schonen Stadt zur Folge haben.

"DER OBERBEFEHLSHABER DER DEUTSCHEN TRUPPEN."

"_INWONERS VAN ANTWERPEN!_

"Het Duitsche leger is als overwinnaar in uwe stad gekomen. Aan geen enkel uwer medeburgers zal eenig leed geschieden en uwe eigendommen zullen ongeschonden blijven, wanneer gij u allen van vijandelijkheden onthoudt.

"Elk verzet zal naar oorlogsrecht worden bestraft en kan de vernietiging van uwe schoone stad voor gevolg hebben.

"DE HOOFDBEVELHEBBER DER DUITSCHE TROEPEN."

"_HABITANTS D'ANVERS!_

"L'armée allemande est entrée dans votre ville en vainquer. Aucun de vos concitoyens ne sera inquiété et vos propriétés seront respectées à la condition que vous vous absteniez de toute hostilité.

"Toute résistance sera punie d'après les lois de la guerre, et peut entraîner la destruction de votre belle ville.

"LE COMMANDANT EN CHEF DES TROUPES CHEF ALLEMANDS."