I reached Arras on Sept. 29. The Germans had occupied it a fortnight
earlier. Now it was placid, sleepy, and deserted, and bore no outward
signs of having suffered from their occupation. I learned, however, that
although they had refrained from demolishing buildings, there had been
scenes of debauchery, and private houses had been ransacked.
It was declared that the only German paying for anything during the
whole of the fortnight's occupation was a member of the Hohenzollern
family, an important officer who had made the Hotel d'Univers his
headquarters.
I decided to pass on to Vitry-en-Artois, twelve miles distant and six
kilometers from Douai, where I had heard the Allies were in force. Here
I obtained a room in a hotel.
Within a short while I saw armed cars. There came many warriors in many
cars, cars fitted with mitrailleuses, cars advancing backward, cars with
two soldiers in the back of each with their rifles rested on the back
cushions and their fingers on the triggers, and with the muzzles of
mitrailleuses pointing over their heads. Several cavalry scouts, too,
are in the streets.
Once I ventured my head a little outside of the door and was curtly
warned to eliminate myself or possibly I would get shot.
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