No sooner had we crossed the Line of the Armistice than we noticed an
abrupt change in the attitude of the population. Even in the
German-speaking districts of the Trentino the inhabitants with whom we
had come in contact had been courteous and respectful, though whether
this was because of, or in spite of, the fact that we were traveling in
a military car, accompanied by a staff-officer, I do not know. Now that
we were actually in Austria, however, this atmosphere of seeming
friendliness entirely disappeared, the men staring insolently at us
from under scowling brows, while the women and children, who had less to
fear and consequently were bolder in expressing their feelings,
frequently shouted uncomplimentary epithets at us or shook their fists
as we passed.

Under the terms of the Armistice, Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, was
temporarily occupied by the Italians, who sent into the city a
comparatively small force, consisting in the main of Alpini and
Bersaglieri. Innsbruck was one of the proudest cities of the Austrian
Empire, its inhabitants being noted for their loyalty to the Hapsburgs,
yet I did not observe the slightest sign of resentment toward the
Italian soldiers, who strolled the streets and made purchases in the
shops as unconcernedly as though they were in Milan or Rome. The
Italians, on their part, showed the most marked consideration for the
sensibilities of the population, displaying none of the hatred and
contempt for their former enemies which characterized the French armies
of occupation on the Rhine.

We found that rooms had been reserved for us at the Tyroler Hof, before
the war one of the famous tourist hostelries of Europe, half of which
had been taken over by the Italian general commanding in the Innsbruck
district and his staff. Food was desperately scarce in Innsbruck when we