Pawns of War: A Play (Classic Reprint) - Tapa blanda

Excerpt from Pawns of War: A Play

The scene is laid in Belgium, in the home of Doctor Albert Esterlinck, surgeon and burgomaster of Aerschel. The time is toward the end of summer, 1914. Two men are standing in a long, rather low-ceiled room, talking together in cautious undertones. A large window to the left. Quaint windmo seat deep sunk in the thick wall. Door back leads to dining room. Door right leads to wide hall. At long intervals, people with fire arms pass down this hall; those who carry revolvers lay them on a stout table, those with rifles hand them to the man behind the table, who stacks them in the corner of the hall. In this living room are a handsome cabinet, a long Flemish stove, a carved chest, curious brass and pewter dishes, and bits of valuable tapestry.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Pawns of War: A Play

The invasion of neutralised Belgium, according to plan, by the "leader of civilisation," in the face of an aghast world, was surely the masterpiece of cynicism - perhaps the most cynical act and the greatest piece of folly the world has ever seen. Strong language, if the tale of the world's cynicism and folly since the beginning of time be passed in review. Countries little and great have been invaded without cause time and again, treaties torn up, and all manner of bad faith kept. But this is the twentieth century; international arbitration is more than a mere notion; world communications, wireless telegraphy, flying, and other summits of civilisation have been reached. And this act was done, this folly committed, by the State which through a million tongues and pens claimed for itself leadership of the civilised world, and the crown of human intelligence.

Persons possessed by a single idea, even if it be only that of their own importance, are perpetually driven by it to the doing and saying of what lacks perspective and the virtue of proportion. Just proportion is the hallmark of true civilisation, as it is the essential quality of true art. The invasion of neutralized Belgium was an act that could only have been committed by a nation blinded to all sense of proportion by the single idea of its own importance.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.