*CHAPTER XXIII*
*THE KAISER ABDICATES*
It was another historic conference that Hal and Chester attended thefollowing morning. It is true they were not invited guests; neither,perhaps, were they supposed to overhear the nature of historical factsas they were written that day. It was, most likely, an oversight thatpermitted them to be near when the German emperor signed a formal decreeof abdication.
It still lacked a few minutes of 7 o'clock on the morning of November 10when Hal and Chester turned out, greatly refreshed by a good night'ssleep. They strolled from the house where they had spent the night, andfor perhaps an hour took in the sights about the German city. Then theyreturned to their temporary quarters, for, as Hal said, "there is notelling when we shall be wanted and it is just as well to be there."
It was half an hour later when a German officer appeared and instructedthem to follow him. This the lads did without hesitancy. Their guideled them to a distant part of the village, where an extraordinary arrayof tents told the lads that they were near important personages in theGerman ranks. The guide showed them into a tent somewhat smaller thanthe rest, where he left them.
After they had been alone perhaps twenty minutes, Hal explored.
"Well," he said, "if these fellows don't hurry they won't get back toMarshal Foch's rendezvous until too late."
"Oh, I guess they'll get there in time all right," replied Chester. "Atleast they will if they know what's good for them."
Meanwhile Hal, peering through the canvass door at one end of the tent,ascertained that the door of the second tent in some unaccountablemanner had been left open. Also, the lad perceived that the tent wasfilled with uniformed figures.
"Something going on," he said to Chester in a low voice.
Chester stepped forward and peered over Hal's shoulder.
"There certainly is," he agreed. "Wonder if we will be able to hearwhat they say?"
"I guess we can," said Hal. "I don't like to eavesdrop, but we mightlearn something that will help."
"I guess the end will justify the means," said Chester.
They became silent.
It was clear to both lads that the figures in the tent were awaiting thearrival of another person. And presently the latter came; and when heentered, the tent both lads stifled exclamations of surprise withdifficulty.
"Well, what do you think of that!" Chester ejaculated.
"By Jove! I didn't know he was in this part of the field," said Hal.
For the man who had just entered the tent was none other than the GermanEmperor, Wilhelm II.
Gazing more closely, the lads made out other familiar figures. Therewas, first, General Ludendorff, chief of the German staff; General VonHindenburg, and newly created Chancellor Ebert. Also the tent wascrowded with other notables, both military and civilian.
It was the kaiser who spoke first. Straining their ears, the lads wereable to catch every word that was uttered.
"Well, gentlemen," said the kaiser, "I am here at your request. What isit you desire of me?"
It was General Ludendorff who replied.
"Your majesty, it is my painful duty to acquaint you with the terms laiddown by the enemy commander-in-chief."
"What are they?" demanded the kaiser briefly.
In as few words as possible, General Von Ludendorff outlined the termsof an armistice as Marshal Foch had presented them to the German envoys.
The kaiser fidgeted impatiently until his chief general had concluded.Then he burst out:
"We shall accept no such terms."
General Ludendorff bowed.
"As I supposed you would answer, your majesty. Nevertheless, it againbecomes my duty to acquaint you with other unpleasant facts."
The German emperor appeared surprised.
"Explain, sir," he said briefly.
Again General Ludendorff bowed.
"Well, your majesty," he said, "it must be plain to you that the war islost to German arms."
"Not at all," said the kaiser. "I still have millions of men in thefield, and there are others who yet may take up arms."
"Very true," said General Ludendorff, "they may be able to take up armsif they will. The trouble is, your majesty, that they probably willdecline longer to wage a losing fight."
The German emperor started back.
"What!" he exclaimed in a loud voice. "The German soldier refuse toobey my commands?"
"Exactly, your majesty," said General Ludendorff.
"Any such men shall be instantly shot," declared the kaiser.
"That would be all very well, Sire," said General Ludendorff, "if thereremained any to carry out the sentence of execution."
The kaiser began to catch a glimmer of the true situation.
"You mean," he asked in a low voice, "that my men will refuse to fightlonger?"
Again General Ludendorff bowed.
"Precisely, your majesty," he said quietly.
The kaiser dropped abruptly into a chair.
"I should have been warned," he muttered. "I should have been warned.For years I have seen this coming, and yet I would not take heed."
He rose to his feet again.
"Tell me," he said to General Von Ludendorff, "what are your sentimentsin this matter, General?"
"The same as the sentiments of the soldiers, your majesty."
"You mean that I must accept the enemy's terms?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"Well, I won't do it."
"There is yet an alternative," said General Ludendorff slowly.
"And that?" demanded the kaiser, his voice hopeful.
"Abdication," said General Ludendorff quietly.
"What!"
The kaiser stepped quickly forward and raised his right hand. GeneralLudendorff stepped quickly back several paces.
"I should strike you down where you stand," said the kaiser, loweringhis arm and letting his hand play with the hilt of the sword that hewore at his side. "Give up my throne, and throw my people upon themercy of the enemy?"
"The people would be very glad to be thrown upon such mercy," saidGeneral Von Hindenburg, now stepping forward. "Your majesty, let me addmy voice to that of General Ludendorff. I have fought for you as best Iknow how, but it has been a losing fight, as we have known, almost fromthe first. Something must be done, and that at once."
"Then you, too, general, urge that I renounce the throne?"
"I do, Sire, most emphatically."
The kaiser's face grew grave. Apparently such a thing as abdication hadnever entered his head.
"Well, gentlemen," he said at last, "I shall give my decision when myson, the Crown Prince, arrives, which should be in a very few moments."
The officers in the tent bowed low. Wilhelm II was still emperor, andwould be until he had signed a formal decree of abdication. As officersof the emperor it was the duty of every man present to serve him.
As the kaiser had predicted, the Crown Prince, known more familiarly inallied circles as the "clown prince," because of his peculiarappearance, entered the tent.
He slapped his father familiarly on the shoulder.
"What's the matter?" he demanded. "Have the allies taken Berlin?"
The kaiser smiled feebly.
"Even worse, if possible, son," he said. "These gentlemen here," and heswept the interior of the tent with his arm, "ask that I renounce thethrone of Germany so that my people may have peace."
The Crown Prince stepped back as though he had received a blow in theface. He recovered himself quickly, however, and said quietly.
"Please repeat that again, Sire."
The kaiser did so, and for a space of perhaps five minutes there wassilence in the tent. Then the Crown Prince said:
"Well, Sire, what are you going to do?"
"Abdicate," said the kaiser briefly. "I shall abdicate in your favor.You may treat with the enemy."
"Hold on," ejaculated the
Crown Prince. "You don't need to abdicate inmy favor, sir. I don't want to be emperor, not under presentconditions."
"Are you afraid?" demanded the kaiser sternly.
The Crown Prince was not to be bluffed like that.
"Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not," he said doggedly; "but I'm not going tobe left in any such plight as this. You may wager on that, sir. If youabdicate in my favor, I shall follow suit, your majesty."
"As you will," said the kaiser. "I, at least, shall abdicate, and thatat once. General Ludendorff; how soon can you have the necessary papersprepared?"
"I have already had them prepared, your majesty," was GeneralLudendorff's response. "I had hoped that you might see the light."
"Play the coward, you mean, eh?" said the kaiser. "But no matter. Putthe paper before me and I shall sign."
From his pocket the general produced a long parchment, which he laid onthe table. As his officers gathered about him, the German emperor readthe paper carefully.
"You don't seem to have had much doubt about how I would act," hecommented dryly. "Well, perhaps it is for the best."
He seized a pen and scrawled his name across the paper. He stepped backand looked at General Ludendorff.
"Perhaps," he said, "you have Had a similar paper drawn for the CrownPrince to sign?"
"I have," said General Ludendorff briefly. "I have overlooked nothing,Sire."
"So it would seem," said the Crown Prince angrily, "but I shall signjust the same."
He attached his signature to a second paper produced by GeneralLudendorff.
And thus ended the rule of the family of Hohenzollern.
The Boy Allies with Marshal Foch; or, The Closing Days of the Great World War Page 23
