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ing　of　the　ultimate　depths　and　there　was　purging　of　souls。　　In　every　office；　in　every　shop；　men　went　about　their　work　resolute　to　keep　minds　sane；　faces　calm；　and　voices　steady；　but　haunted　by　a　secret　something　which　they　refused　to　call　fearwhich　was　not　fearbut　which　as　yet　they　were　unwilling　to　acknowledge　and　which　they　were　unable　to　name。　　With　every　bulletin　from　across　the　sea　the　uncertainty　deepened。　　Every　hour　they　waited　for　news　of　a　great　victory　for　the　fleet。　　The　second　day　of　the　war　a　rumour　of　such　a　victory　had　come　across　the　wires　and　had　raised　hopes　for　a　day　which　next　day　were　dashed　to　despair。　　One　ray　of　light；　thin　but　marvellously　bright；　came　from　Belgium。　　For　these　six　breathless　days　that　gallant　little　people　had　barred　the　way　against　the　onrushing　multitudes　of　Germany's　military　hosts。　　The　story　of　the　defence　of　Liege　was　to　the　Allies　like　a　big　drink　of　wine　to　a　fainting　man。　　But　Belgium　could　not　last。　　And　what　of　France？　What　France　would　do　no　man　could　say。　　It　was　exceedingly　doubtful　whether　there　was　in　the　French　soul　that　enduring　quality；　whether　in　the　army　or　in　the　nation；　that　would　be　steadfast　in　the　face　of　disaster。　　The　British　navy　was　fit；　thank　God！　　But　as　to　the　army；　months　must　elapse　before　a　British　army　of　any　size　could　be　on　the　fighting　line。

Another　agonising　week　passed　and　still　there　was　no　sure　word　of　hope　from　the　Front。　　In　Canada　one　strong；　heartening　note　had　been　sounded。　　The　Canadian　Parliament　had　met　and　with　splendid　unhesitating　unanimity　had　approved　all　the　steps　the　Government　had　taken；　had　voted　large　sums　for　the　prosecution　of　the　war；　and　had　pledged　Canada　to　the　Empire　to　the　limit　of　her　power。　　That　fearless　challenge　flung　out　into　the　cloud　wrapped　field　of　war　was　like　a　clear　bugle　call　in　the　night。　　It　rallied　and　steadied　the　young　nation；　touched　her　pride；　and　breathed　serene　resolve　into　the　Canadian　heart。　　Canadians　of　all　classes　drew　a　long；　deep　breath　of　relief　as　they　heard　of　the　action　of　their　Parliament。　　Doubts；　uncertainties　vanished　like　morning　mists　blown　by　the　prairie　breeze。　　They　knew　not　as　yet　the　magnitude　of　the　task　that　lay　before　them；　but　they　knew　that　whatever　it　might　be；　they　would　not　go　back　from　it。

At　the　end　of　the　second　week　the　last　fort　in　Liege　had　fallen；　Brussels；　too；　was　gone；　Antwerp　threatened。　　Belgium　was　lost。　From　Belgian　villages　and　towns　were　beginning　to　come　those　tales　of　unbelievable　atrocities　that　were　to　shock　the　world　into　horrified　amazement。　　These　tales　read　in　the　Canadian　papers　clutched　men's　throats　and　gripped　men's　hearts　as　with　cruel　fingers　of　steel。　　Canadians　were　beginning　to　see　red。　　The　blood　of　Belgium's　murdered　victims　was　indeed　to　prove　throughout　Canada　and　throughout　the　world　the　seed　of　mighty　armies。

At　the　end　of　the　second　week　Jane　could　refrain　no　longer。　　She　wrote　to　Larry。



CHAPTER　XXIII

A　NEUTRAL　NATION


The　first　days　of　the　war　were　for　Larry　days　of　dazed　bewilderment　and　of　ever…deepening　misery。　　The　thing　which　he　had　believed　impossible　had　come。　　That　great　people　upon　whose　generous　ideals　and　liberal　Christian　culture　he　had　grounded　a　sure　hope　of　permanent　peace　had　flung　to　the　winds　all　the　wisdom；　and　all　justice；　and　all　the　humanity　which　the　centuries　had　garnered　for　them；　and；　following　the　primal　instincts　of　the　brute；　had　hurled　forth　upon　the　world　ruthless　war。　　Even　the　great　political　party　of　the　Social　Democrats　upon　which　he　had　relied　to　make　war　impossible　had　without　protest　or　division　proclaimed　enthusiastic　allegiance　to　the　war　programme　of　the　Kaiser。　　The　universities　and　the　churches；　with　their　preachers　and　professors；　had　led　the　people　in　mad　acclaim　of　war。　　His　whole　thinking　on　the　subject　had　been　proved　wrong。　　Passionately　he　had　hoped　against　hope　that　Britain　would　not　allow　herself　to　enter　the　war；　but　apparently　her　struggle　for　peace　had　been　in　vain。　　His　first　feeling　was　one　of　bitter　disappointment　and　of　indignation　with　the　great　leaders　of　the　British　people　who　had　allowed　themselves　to　become　involved　in　a　Mid…European　quarrel。　　Sir　Edward　Grey's　calm；　moderatesub…　moderate；　indeedexposition　of　the　causes　which　had　forced　Britain　into　war　did　much　to　cool　his　indignation；　and　Bethmann…Hollweg's　cynical　explanation　of　the　violation　of　Belgium's　neutrality　went　far　to　justify　Britain's　action　consequent　upon　that　outraging　of　treaty　faith。　　The　deliberate　initiation　of　the　policy　of　〃frightfulness〃　which　had　heaped　such　unspeakable　horrors　upon　the　Belgian　people　tore　the　veil　from　the　face　of　German　militarism　and　revealed　in　its　sheer　brutality　the　ruthlessness　and　lawlessness　of　that　monstrous　system。

From　the　day　of　Austria's　ultimatum　to　Servia　Larry　began　to　read　everything　he　could　find　dealing　with　modern　European　history；　and　especially　German　history。　　Day　and　night　he　studied　with　feverish　intensity　the　diplomacy　and　policies　of　the　great　powers　of　Europe　till　at　length　he　came　to　a　somewhat　clear　understanding　of　the　modern　theory　and　world　policy　of　the　German　state　which　had　made　war　inevitable。　　But；　though　his　study　made　it　possible　for　him　to　relieve　his　country　from　the　charge　of　guilt　in　this　war；　his　anxiety　and　his　misery　remained。　　For　one　thing；　he　was　oppressed　with　an　overwhelming　loneliness。　　He　began　to　feel　that　he　was　dwelling　among　an　alien　people。　　He　had　made　many　and　close　friends　during　the　months　of　his　stay　in　Chicago。　　But　while　they　were　quick　to　offer　him　sympathy　in　his　anxiety　and　misery；　he　could　not　fail　to　observe　on　every　hand　the　obvious　and　necessary　indications　of　the　neutral　spirit。　　He　could　expect　nothing　else。　　In　this　conflict　America　had　decided　that　she　was　not　immediately　concerned　and　she　was　resolute　to　remain　unconcerned。　　A　leading　representative　of　the　Chicago　press　urged　Americans　to　be　careful　not　to　〃rock　the　boat。〃　　The　President　of　the　United　States　counselled　his　people　〃to　keep　calm〃　and　to　observe　the　strictest　neutrality。　　Larry　discovered；　too；　an　unconfessed；　almost　unconscious　desire　in　the　heart　of　many　an　American；　a　relic　of　Revolutionary　days；　to　see　England　not　destroyed　or　even　seriously　disabled；　but；　say；　〃well　trimmed。〃　　It　would　do　her　good。　　There　was；　beside；　a　large　element　in　the　city　distinctly　and　definitely　pro…German　and　intensely　hostile　to　Great　Britain。　　On　his　way　to　the　office　one　afternoon　Larry　found　himself　held　up　by　a　long　procession　of　young　German　reservists　singing　with　the　utmost　vigour　and　with　an　unmistakable　note　of　triumph　the　German　national　air；　〃Die　Wacht　Am　Rhein；〃　and　that　newer　song　which　embodied　German　faith　and　German　ambition；　〃Deutschland　Uber　Alles。〃　　When　he　arrived　at　the　office　that　afternoon　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　he　was　unable　to　go　on　with　his　work　for　the　trembling　of　his　hands。　In　the　office　he　was　utterly　alone；　for；　however　his　friends　there　might　take　pains　to　show　extra　kindness；　he　was　conscious　of　complete　isolation　from　their　life。　　Unconcerned；　indifferent；　coolly　critical　of　the　great　conflict　in　which　his　people　were　pouring　out　blood　like　water；　they　were　like　spectators　at　a　football　match　on　the　side　lines　willing　to　cheer　good　play　on　either　side　and　ready　to　acclaim　the　winner。

The　Wakehams；　though　extremely　careful　to　avoid　a　word　or　act　that　might　give　him　pain；　naturally　shared　the　general　feeling　of　their　people。　　For　them　the　war　was　only　another　of　those　constantly　recurring　European　scraps　which　were　the　inevitable　result　of　the　forms　of　government　which　these　nations　insisted　upon　retaining。　If　peoples　were　determined　to　have　kings　and　emperors；　what　other　could　they　expect　but　wars。　　France；　of　course；　was　quite　another　thing。　　The　sympathy　of　America　with　France　was　deep；　warm　and　sincere。　　America　could　not　forget　the　gallant　Lafayette。　　Besides；　France　was　the　one　European　republic。　　As　for　Britain；　the　people　of　Chicago　were　content　to　maintain　a　profoundly　neutral　calm；　and　to　a　certain　extent　the　Wakehams　shared　this　feeling。

In　Larry's　immediate　circle；　however；　there　were　two　exceptions。　One；　within　the　Wakeham　family；　was　Elfie。　　Quick　to　note　the　signs　of　wretchedness　in　him　and　quick　to　feel　the　attitude　of　neutrality　assumed　by　her　family　toward　the　war；　the　child；　without　stint　and　without　thought；　gave　him　a　love　and　a　sympathy　so　warm；　so　passionate；　that　it　was　to　his　heart　like　balm　to　an　open　wound。　There　was　no　neutrality　about　Elfie。　　She　was　openly；　furiously　pro…Ally。　　The　rights　and　wrongs　of　the　great　world　conflict　were　at　first　nothing　to　her。　　With　Canada　and　the　Canadians　she　was　madly　in　love；　they　were　Larry's　people　and　for　Larry　she　would　have　gladly　given　her　life。　　Another　exception　to　the　general　state　of　feeling　was　that　of　Hugo　Raeder。　　From　the　first　Raeder　was　an　intense　and　confessed　advocate　of　the　cause　of　the　Allies。　　From　personal　observation　he　knew　Germany　well；　and　from　wide　reading　he　had　come　to　understand　and　appreciate　the　significance　of　her　world　policy。　　He　recognised　in　German　autocracy　and　in　German　militarism　and　in　German　ambition　a　menace　to　the　liberties　of　Europe。　　He　represented　a　large　and　intellectually　influ