Harding had no need to use his revolver on the way to the Rhine, or in Cologne, where he stayed for some months after Armistice. We went on with the cavalry into many villages and small towns, by slow stages, the infantry following behind in strength, with guns and transport. The girls outside Malmédy were not the only ones who waved handkerchiefs at us. Now and then, it is true, there were scowling looks from men who had, obviously, been German officers until a few weeks ago. Sometimes in village inns the German innkeeper would be sullen and silent, leaving his wife or his maidservant to wait upon us. But even that was rare. More often there was frank curiosity in the eyes of the people who stared at us, and often unconcealed admiration at the smart appearance of our troops. Often German innkeepers welcomed our officers with bows and smiles and prepared meat meals for us (in the country districts), while explaining that meat was scarce and hardly tasted by ordinary folk. Their wives and their maidservants praised God that the war was over.
"It lasted too long!" they said. "Oh, the misery of it! It was madness to slaughter each other like that!"
Brand and I went into a little shop to buy a toothbrush.
The woman behind the counter talked about the war.
"It was due to the wickedness of great people," she said. "There are many people who grew rich out of the war. They wanted it to go on, and on, so that they
