"I must get hold of the papers," I said. "I must try and see how we stand."
"Oh, of course, Grey makes a good case. Here is the difficulty, you see. We signed a treaty in which we are engaged to protect Belgium; Germany won't promise not to invade Belgium in order to attack France. But why should we bother about old treaties? What have we got to do with Belgium? I did think this Government had the sense to avoid war. If the Tory party had been in we might have expected it; but there it is."
"Then Sir Edward Grey really thinks there is danger of war with Germany?" I asked.
"Things look very black," was his reply.
"If such a thing comes to pass," I could not help saying, "the whole Empire will be in danger."
"What, the British Empire in danger! You don't mean that?"
"I do," I replied. "I am not sure that war is not inevitable. Germany has been hungering for war for years, and she can place at least eight million men in the field, armed as never a nation was armed before."
"Oh, I have no fear about the Empire," he said. "The British Empire is as firm as a rock, and as safe as Gibraltar."
"We shall have to utilize every pound of power we have if it remains safe."
"Nonsense! nonsense!" he replied impatiently; and I could see he regarded my opinion as of very little value.