McGregor has no respect whatever for Hindenburg or anything which is his.  He says that Hindenburg and his crew have all along taken the line which any man could, but no gentleman would.  In Hindenburg he sees the personification of Prussian militarism, and for the Prussians and their militarism he has no use whatsoever.  I forget what exactly is the Highland phrase for “no use whatsoever,” but its meaning is even worse than its sound, and the sound of it alone is terrible to hear.  Whatever befalls in the interval, it is certain that when at last McGregor and Hindenburg meet they will not get on well together.

McGregor hates militarism.  It is entirely inconsistent with his wild ideas of liberty.  As such he is determined to do it down on all occasions and by every means.  Not only is he a Scot, he is also a barrister of the most pronounced type.  Brief him in your cause, and provided it is not a mean one he will set out to lay flat the whole earth, if need be, in its defence.  He will overwhelm opposing counsel with the mere ferocity of his mien; he will overbear the Judge himself with the mere power of his lungs, and he will carry you through to a verdict with the mere momentum of his loyal support.  Once he has made a cause his own, no other cause can survive the terror of his bushy eyebrows and his flaring face.  He is a caged lion, but he does not grow thin or wasted in captivity.  As ever, he grows stout and strong on his own enthusiasms.  The cage will not hold much longer.  Heaven be praised, it’s Hindenburg and not me he’s taken a dislike to.

He loathes militarism.  Having waited nearly thirty years for a fight, it’s himself is overjoyed that he has Prussian militarism for the victim of his murderous designs.  To this end he has become a soldier, such a bloodthirsty soldier as never was before and never will be again.  The thoroughness of it, for an anti-militarist, is almost appalling.  The click of his heels and the shine of his buttons frighten me.  His salute is such that even the most deserving General must pause and ask himself if it is humanly possible to merit such respect as it indicates.  No man, even upon the most legitimate instance, may venture, in the presence of the dangerous McGregor, the slightest criticism of the British Army or of anything remotely appertaining thereto.  He will not even permit a sly dig, in a quiet corner, at the Staff.

Nevertheless McGregor hates, loathes and detests militarism.  His convictions are quite clear and convincing.  Soldiers are one thing; militarists are another.  Rrobert James McGrregor, for the moment at least, is by the grace of God and the generosity of His Majesty a soldier.  That creature Hindenburg is a militarist.  Quite so, I agreed; but then what about the line?  He helped himself to some more whisky, showing that he could forgive anybody anything except a Prussian his militarism, and said he was coming to that.  But first as to Hindenburg.