Chapter V

Udine the Headquarters of the Army—The King—His
indefatigability—His undaunted courage—A telling incident—The
King with the troops—Love and sympathy between Victor Emanuele
and the men—Brotherhood of the whole Army—A pleasant incident—Men
salute officers at all times—Laxity shown in London—Cohesion
between rank and file—The Italians of to-day—The single idea
of all—Udine crowded with soldiers—The military missions of
the allied nations—Big trade being done—Orderly and sedate
crowd—Restaurants—The food—The market-place—The Cinemas—Proximity
of the fighting—The Café “Dorta”—Pretty and smartly-dressed
women—An unexpected spectacle—The Military Governor—The streets
at night—Precautions against “Taubes”—The signal gun—Curiosity of
inhabitants—No excitement—Udine a sort of haven—I remain there
six weeks—A meeting with the British Military Attaché, Colonel
Lamb—My stay in Udine brought to an abrupt ending—The police
officer in mufti—Am arrested—Unpleasant experience—An _agent de
la Sureté_—At the police station—The commissaire—Result of my
examination—Novara—Magic effect of the undelivered letter again—I
write to General Cafarelli—My friends at the “Agrario”—General
Cafarelli—His decision—The third class police ticket for the
railway—Packed off to Florence—The end of the adventure 49

CHAPTER VI:

Florence in war time—War correspondents to visit the Front—I
receive a letter from Mr. Capel Cure of the Embassy—Return to
Rome—Signor Barzilai, Head of Foreign Press Bureau—I am officially
“accepted”—Correspondents to muster at Brescia—Rome to Brescia
via Milan—The gathering of the correspondents—Names of those
present—Papers represented—The correspondent’s armlet—Speech of
welcome by General Porro—Plan of journey announced—Introduced
to officers of Censorship—To leave war zone a conclusion of
tour of Front—“Shepherding” the correspondents—Censorships
established at various places—Correspondents’ motor
cars—Clubbing together—Car-parties—My companions—Imposing
array of correspondents’ cars—National flags—Cordiality
amongst all correspondents and Censors—Good-fellowship shown by
Italians—Banquet to celebrate the occasion 63