Two waspish rapid-fire guns stood just within the shelter of the
columns, with their black snouts pointing this way and that to command
the sweep of the three-cornered Place du Theatre. A company of soldiers
was quartered in the theater itself. At night, so the lieutenant said,
those men who were off duty rummaged the costumes out of the dressing
rooms, put them on, and gave mock plays, with music. An officer's horse
occupied what I think must have been the box office. It put its head
out of a little window just over our heads and nickered when other
horses passed. Against the side of the building were posters
advertising a French company to play the Gallicized version of an
American farce--"Baby Mine"--by Margaret Mayo. The borders of the
posters were ornamented with prints of American flags done in the proper
colors.
"Yes, Liege seems quiet enough," said the lieutenant; "but we expect a
revolt to break out at any time. We expected it last night, and the
guard in the streets was tripled and doubled; and these little dears"--
patting the muzzle of one of the machine guns--"were put here; and more
like them were mounted on the porticoes of the Hotel de Ville and the
Palais de Justice.
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