The town by now was in an uproar, every one seemed screaming together.
As I looked from the window, my hand touched the prayer-book lying on
the table.
"Lord, give me a word, a promise, to keep me steadfast and sane!" The
book opened at the 55th Psalm--"As for me I will call upon God, and the
Lord shall save me." Even in the stress of the moment reading to the
end of the chapter--"Cast thy burden on the Lord." A conviction came to
me then that God would keep us all safe!
Soon I had to wake to the fact that the house was being looted. Jacob,
his wife, and daughter ran into the room. The soldiers had been
knocking them about, taking all the food they could lay their hands
upon. It was pandemonium let loose! An under-officer came to make a
levy on my food for the army going through to Augustowo. He, with his
men, looked into every hole and corner, but did not think to look
inside the couches, which were full of things! To see your provisions
carried off by the enemy is not a pleasant sensation. I asked the
under-officer if it were possible the town was to be looted and burned.
"Looted--yes--to revenge East Prussia! Burned, not yet,--not unless we
go!"
These first men had a black cover drawn over their caps and afterwards
I heard they were from the artillery. Always the worst! Just at this
time there was a great tramping of horses right in the rooms under
us--where the hospital had been arranged--a thundering knock on the
door, and a captain with his staff walked in. A tremendously big man,
he seemed to fill the place!
"_Guten Tag._"
"_Guten Tag, meine Schwester--Hier habe ich quartier._"
"Are you not afraid of typhus?"
"Nonsense--we are all inocculated. Is there really typhus?"
"Have you a doctor, Captain? Let him decide!"
A very fat boy just from the university was presented to me; so
young, twenty-three and inexperienced, to have such a responsibility.
Examining Wladek he decided it was dysentery, and tore down my notices!
As there was no appeal, I tried to be amiable. The _Herr Kapitain_ was
not so bad; he cleared the house out, and at least only orderlies came
through; but for us was left only the bedroom. Children, servants, all
packed together with the typhus patient. The captain was courteous
enough, but said I would have to feed staff and men. That day seemed
endless. With every moment came fresh troops, and I was glad the _Herr
Kapitain_ was in my apartments. At least there would be no looting. The
rest of the house was full to overflowing with soldiers. Naturally they
blamed the horrible disorder there on to the Russians. A telephone was
soon in operation, and we were headquarters. All sorts of wires there
were, and a rod sticking out of the roof. We were forbidden to go near
that part of the house.
Every few minutes some one came to ask me to help them; the poor
people, they thought I could make the soldiers give up pig or horse
or chickens. At six the captain told me he wished supper in half an
hour. The cook seemed on the verge of losing her reason with some one
continually making a raid on the kitchen, but she managed to get ready
by seven. There were eight officers at the table--and they demanded
wine.
"I have no wine."
"The old Jewess told us you brought home two bottles of wine when the
Russians left."
"That was given me for my children."
"The children have no typhus, the doctor says, so they do not need
wine--bring it to us."
So I gave up my precious bottles. The forage-wagons of the Germans
had not come; they had no food with them and no wines, but the town
fed them to the last mouthful. They turned in at half-past ten,
leaving an atmosphere you could cut. It was so thick with tobacco
smoke! Once more I could be without interruption with my children,
for I had to serve the officers, pour their tea, etc.; it seemed
as if one could not live through another such day. My boy was
unconscious,--talking--talking--talking--all night long--no rest for
me!...