hat? Can't you see that all along Germany intended to dominate
Europe, and because she thought the present time propitious, she was
willing to cover herself with dishonour in order to do the thing she
wanted?"

"Is there not another side to that?" interjected Bob.

"Another side? How can there be another side? When our Ambassador met
the German Chancellor, what took place? The Chancellor had the
audacity to make what our Prime Minister called an 'infamous proposal.'
He suggested that we should break our word to Belgium, and remain
neutral so that Germany could crush France. Then when our Ambassador
asked, as any gentleman would ask, 'But what about the treaty we
signed?' he replied, 'What is a treaty? A thing to be broken! A scrap
of paper! Will you go to war for that?'"

"But consider what war means!" cried Bob. "Does it follow that because
the Germans are willing to plunge Europe into war, we should do
likewise? Does anything, _anything_, justify the violation of every
law, human and divine?"

"Bob, do please just call to mind what that horrible German, who had
not even the first instincts of a gentleman, said, 'Have you counted
the cost, and still stand by your honour and plighted word?' As if an
English gentleman could ever count the cost when his plighted word was
given!"

"Yes," said Bob, "but any statesman ought to count the cost. Think of
what it will all mean, Nancy; think of all the hatred, the feelings of
devilish revenge, the mad passions that will be roused; think of
countries lying waste, think of the whole spirit of war, of the untold
misery and horror of it all, and then ask if anything justifies war. I
know you have a strong case, but two wrongs cannot make a right.
Suppose a man broke his word to me, outraged my feelings, did me great
wrong; would that justify my driving a knife into his heart? I should
be called a murderer if I did it, and be hanged for my deed. Besides,
to come back to where we were just now, Nancy, how could I pretend to
be a Christian, if I enlisted, and went to the war for the purpose of
killing my fellow-men? Christ said, 'Love your enemies, do good to
them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you and
persecute you. If a man smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the
other.' Oh, Nancy, can't you see how utterly opposed Christianity is
to the whole ghastly thing? Here is the German Emperor saying to his
soldiers, 'Go to church and pray--we