By this time my lark-like spirit of the morning had folded its wings.
My musings took on a decidedly somber tinge. "Were the Germans
going to make a summary example of me to warn outsiders to cease
prowling around the war zone?" "Was I going to be railroaded off
to jail, or even worse?" It was no time to be wool gathering! It was
high time for doing. "But what pretexts could they find for such action?"
At any rate I resolved to furnish as few pretexts as possible.

I set to work hunting carefully through my pockets for everything
that might furnish the slightest basis for any charge against me.
Before coming to Brussels I had been warned not to carry
anything that might be the least incriminating, and there was not
much on me; but I did have a pass from the Belgian commander
giving me access to the Antwerp fortifications. I had figured on
framing it as a souvenir of my adventures, but my molars now
reduced it to an unrecognizable pulp. Cards of introduction from
French and English friends fared a similar fate. Their remains were
disposed of in the shuffling that accompanied the arrival of new
prisoners. This had to be done most craftily, for we never knew
where were the spying eyes.

About six o'clock I was resting from my masticatory labors when
Javert presented himself, accompanied by two soldiers. I was led
away into the council room where first I had been taken in the
morning. It was now turned into a trial chamber. Javert, as
prosecutor, was seated on one side of the table, while around the
farther end were ranged some officers and a few men in civilian
clothes who proved to be secret service agents. I stood until the