d. He was
also to aid the Serbs to reach Durazzo later, and as a reward was to
be recognized as ruler in his own district of Tirana. A vile enough
plot.

In order to deceive Europe, the Montenegrin Government telegraphed
everywhere an account of a huge fight, in which Scutari had been
taken, and thousands of Montenegrins wounded. But it was such a lie
that they dared not give it either to The Times' correspondent or to
me.

Essad withdrew. The Montenegrins entered without firing a shot.
Thus was Scutari betrayed to her enemy. That the plot was known to
the Italian Legation is clear, for the Italian war correspondents
had the information from the Legation and hurried to the spot the
day before.

King Nikola having obtained the town, tried to effect a bargain with
Austria by offering the Lovtchen in exchange for it. But I fancy the
Powers burked this.

The war was over. All through I used to say to myself: "War is so
obscene, so degrading, so devoid of one redeeming spark, that it is
quite impossible there can ever be a war in West Europe." This was
the one thing that consoled me in the whole bestial experience. War
brings out all that is foulest in the human race, and the most
disgusting animal ferocity poses as a virtue. As for the Balkan Slav
and his vaunted Christianity, it seemed to me all civilization
should rise and restrain him from further brutality.

Of the saving of Scutari by the arrival of International forces
under Admiral Sir Cecil Burney I have told elsewhere, and of the
months of relief work in the villages burnt by Serb and Montenegrin,
who had destroyed nearly every olive and fruit tree, and devastated
the land.

But even when their army of saviours arrived the luckless Scutarenes
were ordered to make no demonstration, and had to lay aside the
flowers and flags they were joyfully preparing. In return for their
obedience, their enemies reported in the papers that the "naval
force was received without interest or enthusiasm."

The Montenegrins left, after having burnt and pillaged nearly a
third of the bazar as vengeance.

At Podgoritza, where I went to fetch my store of relief stuff, I was
set on by a number of officials at the parcel office. Furious at
losing Scutari, they swore they would retake it and take Bosnia,
too. I told them not to talk so foolishly. They cried: "We--the Serb
people--have beaten the Turk. We are now a danger to Europe. We
shall take what we please. The Serbs will go