Parliament, said, "Are you determined
at any cost to maintain the sacred heritage of our ancestors?" the whole
Chamber burst into a roar, and from the Socialists' side came cries of:
"At any cost, by death if need be."

It was simple and to the point--a manly speech. And as he delivered it
he was a kingly figure, facing for the sake of honour what he knew to be
the gravest danger that could ever come to his country and his people.
When he had finished he bowed to the Queen, then to the Parliament, and
then walked quickly out of the room, while the assembly roared again.
The Senators and Deputies swarmed about the King on his way out,
cheering and trying to shake him by the hand--and none were more at
pains to voice their devotion than the Socialists.

After he had gone the Queen rose, bowed shyly to the assembly, and
withdrew with the royal children. She was given a rousing ovation as
everybody realised the difficulty of her position and was doubly anxious
to show her all their confidence and affection. The whole occasion was
moving, but when the little Queen acknowledged the ovation so shyly and
so sadly and withdrew, the tears were pretty near the surface--my
surface at any rate.

[Illustration: Facsimile of the first page of the German ultimatum to
Belgium.

Kaiserlich Bruessel, den 2. August 1914
Deutsche Gesandtschaft
in Belgien
Tres confidentiel.

Der Kaiserlicher Regierung liegen zuverlaessige Nachrichten vor
ueber den beabsichtigten Aufmarsch franzoesischer Streitkraefte an
der Maas-Strecke Givet-Namur. Sie lassen keinen Zweifel ueber die
Absicht Frankreichs, durch belgisches Gebiet gegen Deutschland
vorzugehen.

Die Kaiserliche Regierung kann sich der Besorgniss nicht erwehren,
dass Belgien, trotz besten Willens, nicht im Staende sein wird, ohne
Hilfe einen franzoesischen Vormarsch mit so grosser Aussicht auf
Erfolg abzuwehren, dass darin eine ausreichende Sicherheit gegen die
Bedrohung Deutschlands gefunden werden kann. Es ist ein Gebot der
Selbsterhaltung fuer Deutschland, dem feindlichen Angriff
zuvorzukommen. Mit dem groessten Bedauerns wuerde es daher die deutsche
Regierung erfuellen, wenn Belgien einen Akt der Feindseligkeit]

[Illustration: Pass issued by the Belgian military authorities to
enable Mr. Gibson to enter the German Legation at Brussels]

[Illustration