Monsieur Segotin's Story
occurred in those towns. And in what did this 'disorder' consist? At Aerschot a German had fired into the air; at Dinant French soldiers had fired at German soldiers in the ordinary way of war; at Louvain German soldiers had fired on one another. It seemed only wanting that at Saint Hilaire a German soldier should commit suicide, for such 'disorder' to result in the execution of us its hostages and thereafter in the massacre of most of the population. There was another notice for us to read as we went along. This was the proclamation of von der Goltz, the German general, dated from Brussels. I have it by heart, for it is one of their masterpieces, and I read it again and again, always with fresh amazement. This is how it ran:
"'In future the inhabitants of places situated near railways and telegraph lines which have been destroyed will be punished without mercy whether they are guilty of this destruction or not. For this purpose hostages have been taken in all places in the vicinity of railways in danger of similar attacks; and at the first attempt to destroy any railway, telegraph or telephone line, they will be shot immediately.'
"Saint Hilaire, my friend, is a small place, but it is not without its railway station, its telegraph and its telephone. But it was not this reflection which was uppermost with me whenever I read that enormity on the walls. You have no doubt seized upon the words which I found of so much significance. Yes. 'Whether they are guilty or not.' There
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