THE VICTOR

On the big square before the old courthouse, which now served as
regimental headquarters and bore the magic letters A.O.K. as a sort of
cabalistic sign on its front, a military band played every afternoon
from three to four at command of His Excellency. This little diversion
was meant to compensate the civilian population for the many
inconveniences that the quartering of several hundreds of staff officers
and a number of lesser officers inevitably brought upon them. Then, too,
according to His Excellency, such an institution helped considerably to
promote the popularity of the army and inspire patriotism in school
children and the masses. In the interest of the right conduct of the war
the strict commander deemed it highly essential to foster a right
attitude in the public and to encourage friendly relations between
military and civilian authorities--while fully preserving his own
privileges. It was essential to a successful continuation of the war.
Incidentally, the fact that the staff officers, with His Excellency at
their head, usually took their black coffee at just about this time had
helped a good deal to bring about these afternoon concerts.

It was indeed delightful to sit in the shade of the centenarian plane-
trees, whose intertwining branches overarched the entire square like the
nave of a cathedral. The autumn sun cast a dull glow on the walls of the
houses round about, and shed golden rings through the thick foliage on
the small round tables arrayed in long rows in front of the coffeehouse.
There was a reserved row for the staff officers set in snowy linens,
with little flower vases and fresh crisp cakes, which the sergeant of
the commissary brought punctually at three o'clock every day from the