Волхв

Chapter 18

           Myfather’sfamilyhadalreadyhumiliatedherenough,withoutherownsonjoiningin."Iwasashamedthen.IamproudnowtohaveGreekandItalianandEnglishbloodandevensomeCelticblood.Oneofmyfather’sgrandmotherswasaScotswoman.IamEuropean.Thatisallthatmatterstome.Butin1914IwantedtobepurelyEnglishsoastobeabletooffermyselfuntaintedtoLily."Youknow,ofcourse,thatsomethingfarmoremonstrousthanmyadolescentArabianNightwasbeingimaginedintheyoungmindoftwentieth-centuryEurope.Iwasjusteighteen.Thewarbegan.Theywereunreal,thefirstdaysofthatwar.Somuchpeaceandplenty,forsolongatime.Unconsciously,intheJungiancollectiveid,perhapseveryonewantedachange,apurge.Aholocaust.Butitappearedtousunpoliticalcitizensamatterofpride,ofpurelymilitarypride.SomethingwhichtheRegularArmyandHisMajesty’sinvincibleNavywouldsettle.Therewasnoconscription,nofeeling,inmyworld,ofnecessitytovolunteer.ItnevercrossedmymindthatImightonedayhavetofight.Moltke,Bülow,Foch,Haig,Frenchthenamesmeantnothing.Butthencamethesombercoupd’archetofMonsandLeCateau.Thatwastotallynew.TheefficiencyoftheGermans,thehorrorstoriesaboutthePrussianGuards,theBelgianoutrages,theblackshockofthecasualtylists.Kitchener.TheMillionArmy.AndtheninSeptemberthebattleoftheMarnethatwasnolongercricket.

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