Agent of Peace by Jennifer Hobhouse Balme Read Free Book Online

Capt. Bruhn and had a talk with him about the tubercular trouble. I was glad to find he was aware of it and though perhaps he tried to make light of it, he owned that it was being enquired into by an American Doctor on the Commission. (This has since been issued as a Report by Dr. Lucas and is very important.) He laid stress on the impossibility of coping with this trouble owing to the blockade. The people are caught in a vice. Their patience is marvellous.
    Leaving him we turned in to the Picture Gallery which I was anxious to see in order to know if any had been removed. My Baron said it was the French and Napoleon who did that sort of thing, and I felt guiltily that so also had we in South Africa. Kitchener brought away Kruger trophies from Pretoria and Lord Roberts Mr Fischer’s Silver-Wedding Silver Tea Service etc and officers and men took every sort of thing which I saw in their kits from sewing machines and silver candlesticks to old Bibles.
    Brussels gallery anyhow is untouched. Stocked as thick as the walls can hold with beautiful works of art. Climbing the long stairs had made it impossible for me to enjoy them.
    After lunch the Baron said he was so busy at the office that he wanted me to come and sit in the Reading Room of the Political Department and read English newspapers. Having nothing whatever to read or write I was thankful for the suggestion and to my astonishment I found there The Times , Morning Post , and Manchester Guardian of June 13. I asked with surprise how these could be so quickly in Brussels – and at first my Baron was going to tell me, but suddenly recollected he must not and said nothing. I said it seemed impossible that they could come in that time from Holland – and from his mannerI judge they come in some other way. However, I sat there and read for a couple of hours, glad enough of the news, but dreadfully depressed by the English attitude too apparent and absolutely contrary to Peace ideas. It was particularly distressing to read our Press there in the midst of the enemy and see it with their eyes.
    A German civilian came in and sat down beside me to read. An oldish man, who spoke politely telling me he had lived much in England and how he bewailed this war and what a disastrous mistake it was. The same story everywhere – whenever I have met Germans all felt and feel that war with England was contrary to their wishes and against their every feeling – and never should have been.
    We wandered out and the sun getting the upper hand for a bit, we went down the long hill to the beautiful and historic Square. On my way I bought chamois leather to cover my back and arm. In the Square with its gilded architecture not a stone was touched – indeed, Brussels is without a scratch.
    That ended my day and I resolved if the Berlin reply did not come, to go to Dinant on the following day.
    Friday, June 16th Again, the most awful weather. Cold intense, but more bearable with my woolen vest and chamois leather girdings. Dinant impossible – it would have been madness - and worst of all no word from Berlin. I felt in despair, for I had been so restricted in Belgium that my trip would have availed little if I did not get to Berlin. However, my faith in it would not give way for from the outset of the war I had always intuitively felt that one day I should go both to Belgium and Berlin and speak face to face with the members of the government.
    We waited a lucid moment to walk first to the Political Department then to Capt. Bruhn’s who was out – and now and again passing those mournful queues standing in the bitter cold and wet. At last I gave in and promised to do as my Baron wished, viz visit the wonderful antediluvian animals in the Natural History Museum about which he raved. I hated spending a modicum of my slender strength on such things at this moment. About 3 p.m. we went; it was a very long way in the tram and then a stiffish walk uphill through the park, but