The German emperor started back.
"What!" he exclaimed in a loud voice. "The German soldier refuse to obey my commands?"
"Exactly, your majesty," said General Ludendorff.
"Any such men shall be instantly shot," declared the kaiser.
"That would be all very well, Sire," said General Ludendorff, "if there remained any to carry out the sentence of execution."
The kaiser began to catch a glimmer of the true situation.
"You mean," he asked in a low voice, "that my men will refuse to fight longer?"
Again General Ludendorff bowed.
"Precisely, your majesty," he said quietly.
The kaiser dropped abruptly into a chair.