"Because I believe in the gallantry of France, and the tenacity of England, and the—youth of America."
"And what of Germany?"
"The vulgarity."
This was quite a new reason for Germany's certain downfall—! It delighted me—.
"But vulgarity does not mean weakness!"
"Yes it does—Vulgar people have imperfect sensibilities, and cannot judge of the psychology of others, they appraise everything by their own standard—and so cannot calculate correctly possible contingencies—that shows weakness."
"How wise you are—and how you think!"
She was silent.
"All the fighting nations will be filled with vulgarians even when we do win, though with most of the decent people killed—" I ventured to say—.
"Oh! no—Lots of their souls are not vulgar, only their environment has caused their outward self-expression to seem so. Once you get below the pompous bourgeoisie in France, for instance, the more delightful you find the spirit, and I expect it is the same in England. It is the pretentious aspiring would-bes who are vulgar—and Germany seems filled with them,"