All the people the Otways knew took great glory and
comfort in these rumours, but Mrs. Otway heard the
news with very mixed feelings. It seemed to her
scarcely fair that a Russian army should come, as it
were, on the sly, to attack the Germans in France --
and she did not like to feel that England would for
ever and for aye have to be grateful to Russia for having
sent an army to her help.

It was the morning of the 18th of August -- exactly a
fortnight, that is, since England's declaration of war
on Germany. Coming down to breakfast, Mrs. Otway
suddenly realised what a very, very long fortnight
this had been -- the longest fortnight in her life as a
grown-up woman. She felt what she very seldom was,
depressed, and as she went into the dining-room she
was sorry to see that there was a sullen look on old
Anna's face.

"Good morning!" she said genially in German. And
in reply the old servant, after a muttered "Good morning,
gracious lady," went on, in a tone of suppressed
anger, "Did you not tell me that the English were not
going to fight my people? That it was all a mistake?"

Mrs. Otway looked surprised. "Yes, I feel sure that
no soldiers are going abroad," she said quietly. "The
Dean says that our Army is to be kept at home, to defend
our shores, Anna."

She spoke rather coldly; there was a growing impression
in Witanbury that the Germans might try to
invade England, and behave here as they were behaving
in Belgium. Though Mrs. Otway and Rose tried
to believe that the horrible stories of burning and murder
then taking place in Flanders were exaggerated,

[[168]]

p167 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p168w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p169

v?