"Now you shall tell me everything—is it not so? Better to be quite frank. À la guerre comme à la guerre. First, you are English?"
"Yes. My mother is Mrs. Warren, I am her daughter, Vivien Warren. My mother has lived many years in Belgium, though also in other places, in Germany, Austria and France. Of late, however, she has lived entirely here. This place belongs to her."
"And you?"
"I? I have just been released from prison in London, Holloway Prison..."
"My dear young lady! You are surely joking—what do you say? You pull my leg? But no; I see! You have been Suffragette. Aha! I understand you are the Miss Warren, the Miss Warren who make the English Government afraid, nicht wahr? You set fire to Houses of Parliament..."
Vivie (interrupting): "No, no! Only to some racing stables..."
Oberst: "I understand. But you are rebel?"
Vivie: "I hate the present British Government—the most hypocritical, the most..."
Oberst: "But we are in agreement, you and I! This is splendid. But now we must be praktisch. We are at war, though we hope here for a peaceful occupation of Belgium. You will see how the Flämisch—Ah, you say the Fleming?—the Flemish part of Belgium will receive us with such pleasure. It is only with the Wälsch, the Wallon part we disagree.... But there is so much for me to do—we must talk of all these things some other time. Let us begin our business. I must first introduce myself. I am Oberst Gottlieb von Giesselin of the Saxon Army. (He rose, clicked heels, bowed, and sat down.) I see you have three heavy bags you look at often. What is it?"
Vivie (taking courage): "It is my mother's jewellery and some plate. She fears—"