On the 17th of August she took the tram into Brussels.  It seemed however as if it would never get there, and when she reached the Porte de Namur she was too impatient to wait for the connection.  She could not find any gendarme, but at a superior-looking flower-shop she obtained the address of the British Legation.

She asked at the lodge for Mr. Hawk; but there was only a Belgian coachman in charge, and he told her the Minister and his staff had followed the Court to Antwerp.  Mr. Hawk had only left that morning.  “What a nuisance,” said Vivie to herself.  “I might have found out from him whether there is any truth in the rumours that are flying about Tervueren.”

These rumours were to the effect that the Germans had captured all the forts of Liege and their brave defender, General Leman; that they were in Namur and were advancing on Louvain.  “I wonder what we had better do?” pondered Vivie.

In her bewilderment she took the bold step of calling at the Hotel de Ville, gave her name and nationality, and asked the advice of the municipal employe who saw her as to what course she and her mother had better pursue:  leave Tervueren and seek a lodging in Brussels; or retreat as far as Ghent or Bruges or even Holland?  The clerk reassured her.  The Germans had certainly occupied the south-east of Belgium, but dared not push as far to the west and north as Brussels.  They risked otherwise being nipped between the Belgian army of Antwerp and the British force marching on Mons....  He directed her attention to the last communique of the Ministry of War:  “La situation n’a jamais ete meilleure.  Bruxelles, a l’abri d’un coup de main, est defendue par vingt mille gardes civiques armes d’un excellent fusil,” etc.

Vivie returned therefore a trifle reassured.  At the same time she and her mother spent some hours in packing up and posting valuable securities to London, via Ostende, in packing for deposit in the strong rooms of a Brussels bank Mrs. Warren’s jewellery and plate.  The tram service from Tervueren had ceased to run.  So they induced a neighbour to drive them into Brussels in a chaise:  a slow and wearisome journey under a broiling sun.  Arrived in Brussels they found the town in consternation.  Placarded on the walls was a notice signed by the Burgomaster—­the celebrated Adolphe Max—­informing the Bruxellois that in spite of the resistances of the Belgian army it was to be feared the enemy might soon be in occupation of Brussels.  In such an event he adjured the citizens to avoid all panic, to give no legitimate cause of offence to the Germans, to renounce any idea of resorting to arms!  The Germans on their part were bound by the laws of war to respect private property, the lives of non-combatants, the honour of women, and the exercise of religion.